Billy Kenny (footballer, born 1973)

William Aidan Kenny (born 19 September 1973) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder for Everton and Oldham Athletic, making a total of 21 appearances in the Football League.[1][2] Kenny retired from professional football at the age of just 21.[3]

Billy Kenny
Kenny in 2021
Personal information
Full name William Aidan Kenny
Date of birth (1973-09-19) 19 September 1973
Place of birth Liverpool, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
– Everton
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1994 Everton 17 (1)
1994–1995 Oldham Athletic 4 (0)
1995–1996 Barrow 2 (0)
2002 Royal Seaforth
International career
1992 England U21 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Kenny is the son of former Everton midfielder Billy Kenny Sr.

Club career

Kenny was a product of Everton's youth system and made his debut in 1992 in a 1–1 home draw with Coventry City. In total Kenny made 17 league appearances for Everton, plus another 4 appearances in cup competitions, scoring one goal.[4] He also made a single appearance for England under 21s in an Under 21 Championship qualifier against Turkey under 21s in the Altay Alsancak Stadium in March 1993.[5]

At the start of his career Kenny showed great promise and was thought to have the potential to become a key player for both Everton and England,[3] with former Everton player Peter Beardsley hailing Kenny as the "Goodison Gazza".[6]

His reputation was further enhanced when he was named man of the match in the Premier League's first ever Merseyside derby.[7] However, Kenny's fledgling career was blighted by injury at first, and later cocaine and alcohol use. After a spell in a drying-out clinic failed to get Kenny's Everton career back on track he was released from the club for 'gross misbehaviour' by manager Mike Walker.[8]

Kenny then joined Oldham Athletic who were being managed by former Everton striker Graeme Sharp. Kenny again struggled at Oldham, scoring an own goal in a 3–1 loss to Port Vale[9] and was sacked after making just four league appearances for the team. Following this spell at Oldham Kenny retired from the professional game at the age of 21, although he did make further appearances in non-League football for Barrow AFC,[7][10] and also played amateur football for Royal Seaforth in the Liverpool County Combination League.[11]

Post-career reputation

Because Kenny never came close to fulfilling his potential, and ended his professional career at such a young age, he is often seen as a "lost talent" of English football. Rob Smyth of the Guardian placed Kenny at number one in a list of Football's Lost Talents,[12] while Football365.com named Kenny in seventh place in their list of Football's Wasted Talents.[3] In a 2009 article in the Guardian Kenny's short-lived career was described as "one of the biggest wastes of talent in modern times".[7]

References
  1. Everton – Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
  2. Oldham Athletic – Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
  3. F365's Top Ten Wasted Talents Archived 15 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine Football365.com 12 October 2010
  4. Billy Kenny – Everton FC SportingHeroes.net 14 October 2010
  5. World Cup: Gascoigne the focus of Turkey's attention Independent.co.uk 30 March 1993 retrieved on 15 October 2010
  6. Where Are They Now? Archived 12 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine Sport.co.uk 5 February 2010
  7. Seven Deadly Sins of Football Guardian.co.uk 21 May 2009
  8. Kenny Sent Packing Independent, London, England 17 March 1994 retrieved 18 January 2011
  9. Naylor Puts Seal on Fine Display Against the Latics ThisIsStaffordshire.co.uk 25 September 2010
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. Billy's Perfect Start: Ex-Everton Star Opens His Account Liverpool Echo, Liverpool, England 7 September 2002 retrieved from Highbeam.com 14 October 2010
  12. Football's Lost Talents Guardian.co.uk 7 March 2008
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