Ollie Kensdale

Ollie Kensdale
Personal information
Full name	Oliver James Kensdale
Date of birth	20 April 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth	Colchester, England
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Position(s)	Centre-back; Central midfielder
Team information
Current team	Southend United
Number	6
Youth career
2008–2017	Colchester United
Senior career*
Years	Team
2017–2021	Colchester United
2017	→ Maldon & Tiptree (loan)
2018	→ Maldon & Tiptree (loan)
2018	→ Maldon & Tiptree (loan)
2019	→ Bath City (loan)
2020	→ Braintree Town (loan)
2021	Concord Rangers
2021–	Southend United
International career
2024–	England C
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:43, 6 May 2024(UTC)

Oliver James Kensdale (born 24 April 2000) is an English footballer who plays as a centre-back or central midfielder for National League club Southend United.

Kensdale joined Colchester United's Development Centre at the age of seven and progressed to the club's Academy two years later. He was taken on as a scholar in 2016 and had his first experience of men's football on loan at Maldon & Tiptree in late 2017. He rejoined the club on loan in March 2018 and then early in the 2018–19 season prior to making his first-team debut for Colchester in November 2018. He joined Bath City on loan in October 2019, and Braintree Town on loan in October 2020.

Career

Born in Colchester,^[2] Kensdale joined the Development Centre at hometown club Colchester United aged seven. He enrolled in the club's Academy two years later. A former pupil at Colchester's St Benedict's Catholic College,^[4] he signed on as a scholar at the club in July 2016.^[5]^[6]

Kensdale joined Isthmian League North Division side Maldon & Tiptree for his first experience of men's football.^[4] He made his club debut on 30 September 2017 in the Jammers' 4–2 win against Tilbury.^[7] He made four league appearances and two appearances in the FA Trophy for the club. He played a further three games for the club on loan in March 2018.^[8]

At the end of his scholarship, Kensdale was offered a professional contract with Colchester in May 2018.^[9]

Kensdale rejoined Maldon & Tiptree in a third loan spell early in the 2018–19 season.^[10] He scored his first goal in senior football in his final appearance for the Jammers, a 3–2 win at Dereham Town on 10 November, scoring twice.^[11]

On 13 November, Kensdale made his first-team debut in Colchester's EFL Trophy game against Cambridge United.^[12] He then started in Colchester's League Two 1–1 draw with Exeter City at the Colchester Community Stadium on 24 November.^[13]

After becoming the first Colchester United player born after 2000, Kensdale signed his first professional contract on 24 December 2018, committing until summer 2021.^[14]

On 11 October 2019, Kensdale joined National League South side Bath City in a month-long loan deal.^[15] He made his debut on 12 October 2019 in Bath's 1–1 home draw with Maidstone United.^[3]

In October 2020, Kensdale joined National League South side Braintree Town, where he made his debut in their 1–0 defeat at Chippenham Town.^[16]

Colchester announced that Kensdale was one of seven under-23 players who had their contract terminated by mutual consent on 1 February 2021.^[17]

On 14 February 2021, Kensdale joined National League South side Concord Rangers.^[18]

On 31 December 2021, Kensdale joined National League side Southend United for an undisclosed fee.^[19]

Style of play

Kensdale operates centrally as either a centre-back or central midfielder. Prior to his scholarship, he refined himself into a commanding centre-back and as a leader of the defensive line.^[5]

Career statistics

As of match played 20 November 2021

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Colchester United	2017–18^[20]	League Two	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2018–19^[21]	League Two	2	0	0	0	0	0	1^[a]	0	3	0
	2019–20^[22]	League Two	1	0	0	0	0	0	1^[a]	0	2	0
	2020–21^[23]	League Two	0	0	0	0	0	0	1^[a]	0	1	0
	Total		3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	6	0
Maldon & Tiptree (loan)	2017–18^[8]	Isthmian League North Division	7	0	0	0	–		2^[b]	0	9	0
	2018–19^[10]	Isthmian League North Division	6	2	1	0	–		0	0	7	2
	Total		13	2	1	0	–		2	0	16	2
Bath City (loan)	2019–20^[3]	National League South	5	0	0	0	–		0	0	5	0
Braintree Town (loan)	2020–21^[3]	National League South	2	0	0	0	–		0	0	2	0
Concord Rangers	2020–21^[3]	National League South	1	0	0	0	–		0	0	1	0
	2021–22^[3]	National League South	13	0	2	0	–		0	0	15	0
	Total		14	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	16	0
Southend United	2021–22^[3]	National League	0	0	0	0	–		0	0	0	0
Career total			37	2	3	0	0	0	5	0	45	2

^ ^a ^b ^c Appearance in EFL Trophy
^ Appearances in FA Trophy

References

^ "Notification of shirt numbers: Colchester United" (PDF). English Football League. p. 18. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Colchester United". FootballSquads. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "O. Kensdale". Soccerway. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
^ ^a ^b Hudson, Matt (1 October 2017). "Kensdale Goes To Maldon". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
^ ^a ^b Hudson, Matt (10 May 2016). "New Scholars Confirmed". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
^ "List of Players Registered as Scholars in Accordance with Rule C.3 Between 01/07/2016 and 31/07/2016" (PDF). The Football Association. 31 July 2017. p. 8. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
^ Garwood, Dave (30 September 2017). "Injury hit Jammers respond in style with a good win". Maldon & Tiptree FC. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
^ ^a ^b "Oliver Kensdale". Maldon & Tiptree FC. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
^ Gregory, David (24 May 2018). "Young Trio Offered Contracts". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
^ ^a ^b "Oliver Kensdale". Maldon & Tiptree FC. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
^ Garwood, Dave (10 November 2018). "Jammers defenders turn goal scorers to secure three points". Maldon & Tiptree FC. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
^ "Cambridge United v Colchester United". Sky Sports. 13 November 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
^ "Colchester United 1–1 Exeter City". BBC Sport. 24 November 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
^ "Colchester United: Ollie Kensdale signs first professional deal". BBC Sport. 24 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
^ Gregory, David (11 October 2019). "Ollie Heads Out On Loan". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
^ Waldron, Jonathan (11 October 2020). "Colchester United's Ollie Kensdale joins Braintree on loan". Daily Gazette. Colchester. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
^ Gregory, David (2 February 2021). "Departures For Young U's". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
^ "Ollie Kensdale joins". Concord Rangers FC. 14 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
^ "Blues Sign Ollie Kensdale". Southend United FC. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
^ "Games played by Ollie Kensdale in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
^ "Games played by Ollie Kensdale in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
^ "Games played by Ollie Kensdale in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
^ "Games played by Ollie Kensdale in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 25 August 2020.