Kai Kennedy
Kai Alexander Kennedy (born 28 March 2002) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a winger for York City.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kai Alexander Kennedy[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 28 March 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Left winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2009–2019 | Rangers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2023 | Rangers | 0 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | → Inverness Caledonian Thistle (loan) | 8 | (1) |
| 2021 | → Raith Rovers (loan) | 16 | (1) |
| 2021 | → Dunfermline Athletic (loan) | 14 | (1) |
| 2022 | → Hamilton Academical (loan) | 7 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | → Falkirk (loan) | 29 | (9) |
| 2023– | York City | 5 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2018 | Scotland U16 | 1 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Scotland U17 | 7 | (1) |
| 2018–2019 | Scotland U18 | (3) | |
| 2019–2020 | Scotland U19 | 4 | (1) |
| 2021 | Scotland U21 | 1 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:05, 14 January 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 October 2020 | |||
Kennedy previously had loan spells with Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Raith Rovers, Dunfermline Athletic, Hamilton Academical and Falkirk.
Club career
Kennedy came through the youth system at Rangers On 15 June 2018, Kennedy signed a three-year contract with the club.[2] He made his first-team debut for Rangers on 17 January 2020 in a Scottish Cup match against Stranraer at Ibrox Stadium.[3]
In late September 2020, it was reported by the Daily Record that Kennedy was being chased by multiple clubs including Sheffield United, Manchester City, Roma and Bayern Munich due to a contract dispute with Rangers.[4] In October 2020 he was loaned to Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Championship.[5][6] On 5 January 2021, Kennedy's loan at Inverness Caledonian Thistle was cut-short due to homesickness after Scotland was placed into another full lockdown, leaving him with the inability to travel between Inverness and his family in Glasgow.[7]
On 8 January 2021, Kennedy signed a new contract with Rangers until the Summer of 2023. On the same day he signed a loan deal with Raith Rovers until the end of the season.[8][9] On 22 July 2021, Kennedy returned to Fife with Dunfermline Athletic, signing a season-long loan deal.[10] Kennedy was recalled by his parent club during the January transfer window.[11] On 14 January 2022, Kennedy joined Scottish Championship side Hamilton Academical on loan for the remainder of the 2021–22 season.[12] On 14 July 2022, Kennedy was loaned to Falkirk for the 2022–23 season,[13] at the end of which he was released by Rangers.[14] He joined York City in August 2023.[15]
International career
Kennedy has represented Scotland at various youth levels up to under-19s. He was promoted to the under-21 squad in November 2020.[16]
Career statistics
- As of match played 21 January 2023
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Rangers | 2019–20 | Scottish Premiership | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2020–21 | Scottish Premiership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||
| Inverness CT (loan) | 2020–21 | Scottish Championship | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| Raith Rovers (loan) | 2020–21 | Scottish Championship | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 1 |
| Dunfermline Athletic (loan) | 2021–22 | Scottish Championship | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| Hamilton Academical (loan) | 2021–22 | Scottish Championship | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Falkirk (loan) | 2022–23 | Scottish League One | 29 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 9 |
| Career total | 74 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 84 | 13 | ||
References
- Statutory registers - Births - Search results, ScotlandsPeople
- Thomson, Nick (15 June 2018). "Hardie Signs New Deal". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club.
- "Rangers 2-0 Stranraer". BBC Sport. 17 January 2020.
- McDougall, Mark (29 September 2020). "Kai Kennedy wanted by Sheffield United as Rangers youngster weighs up Ibrox exit". Daily Record. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- McDougall, Mark (4 October 2020). "Kai Kennedy closes in on Rangers exit as teen prepares to join Inverness on loan". Daily Record. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- "Kai Kennedy joins ICTFC on loan". ICTFC.com. 4 October 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- "Rangers wonderkid set to return to Ibrox as loan deal comes to an end". Rangers News. 5 January 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- "Kai Kennedy Signs New Contract Extension". www.rangers.co.uk. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- "Kai Kennedy | Raith Rovers FC". www.raithrovers.net. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- "Kai Kennedy arrives at Dunfermline". Dunfermline Athletic FC. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- Hart, Ross (3 January 2022). "Dunfermline: Lewis Martin wins contract as Kai Kennedy future revealed". Dunfermline Press. Newsquest. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
- "Kennedy signs for Accies". Hamilton Academical FC. 14 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
- "KAI KENNEDY JOINS THE BAIRNS". falkirkfc.co.uk. Falkirk FC. 14 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
- "RANGERS CONFIRM ACADEMY DEPARTURES". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club. 1 June 2023.
- Ramsay, Gabriel (24 August 2023). "Kai Kennedy joins York City from Scottish giants Rangers". York Press. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
- Lindsay, Clive (28 October 2020). "Aaron Hickey: Bologna left-back given first Scotland Under-21 call-up". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
External links
- Kai Kennedy at Soccerbase