Alan Kennedy

For other uses, see Alan Kennedy (disambiguation).

Alan Kennedy
Personal information
Date of birth (1954-08-31) 31 August 1954 (age 70)
Place of birth Penshaw, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Position(s) Left back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1972–1978 Newcastle United 158 (9)
1978–1986 Liverpool 251 (15)
1986–1987 Sunderland 54 (2)
1987 Wigan Athletic 22 (0)
1987 Hartlepool United 5 (0)
1987 B 1903
1988 Beerschot
1988–1989 Northwich Victoria
1989 Colne Dynamoes
1989-1990 Wrexham 16 (0)
1990–1991 Morecambe
1991–1992 Netherfield
1992–1993 Radcliffe Borough
1993–1994 Barrow
Total 506 (26)
International career
1974–1976 England U23 6 (0)
1978–1980 England B 7 (2)
1984 England 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alan Kennedy (born 31 August 1954) is an English former professional footballer who played the majority of his career as a left back for Newcastle United and then Liverpool. He was a stalwart member of the latter team that won many honours from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s. At different times Kennedy was active as a professional in England, Denmark, Belgium and Wales, making over 500 appearances in a career that lasted for 22 years. He also represented England at senior international level.

Club career

Born in Sunderland, Kennedy started his professional career at the age of 18 for Newcastle United. After establishing his place in the side he played there for five years. He was a member of the team that lost the 1974 FA Cup Final to Liverpool. In 1978 he was transferred to Liverpool for £330,000, at the time a British record amount for a full-back.

Kennedy scored in the 1981 League Cup Final against West Ham, which ended 1–1 and was won by Liverpool in the replay. He scored the equalising goal with 15 minutes left in the game in the 1983 League Cup Final against Manchester United, a match Liverpool went on to win in extra time. Kennedy was a member of two other League Cup–winning Liverpool teams: in 1982 (against Tottenham Hotspur) and 1984 (against Everton).

In the 1981 European Cup Final against Real Madrid, Kennedy scored the only goal of the match late in the second half.

The 1984 European Cup Final between Liverpool and Roma was tied at 1–1 after extra time, so the winner was determined by penalty kicks. Kennedy scored the decisive penalty (the fifth taken by the team, the fourth that was successful) that clinched the victory for Liverpool.

Kennedy was a regular player in the Liverpool teams that won five league championship titles, in 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83 and 1983–84.

International career

He also earned two caps for the England national team in 1984.[2]

Personal life

His elder brother is fellow footballer Keith Kennedy.[3] His nephew is Tom Kennedy, Keith's son.[4][5]

In 2019 and 2020, Kennedy featured as a guest substitute player in both seasons of ITV show Harry's Heroes, which featured former football manager Harry Redknapp attempting to return a squad of former England international footballers to sufficient fitness for a game against Germany legends.[6]

Honours

Newcastle United

Liverpool

References

  1. ^ Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 352. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
  2. ^ Alan Kennedy at National-Football-Teams.com
  3. ^ "Keith Kennedy Football Player Statistics | 11v11.com".
  4. ^ "Alan Kennedy nephew Tom Kennedy backed to be big hit". This Is Leicestershire. 15 June 2010. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013.
  5. ^ "Maden's double sends kids through". Lancashire Telegraph. 19 October 2002.
  6. ^ ""Harry's Heroes: The Full English" Episode #2.1 (TV Episode 2020)". IMDb.
  7. ^ Vernon, Leslie; Rollin, Jack (1977). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78. London: Brickfield Publications Ltd. p. 491. ISBN 0354-09018-6.