Paddy Kennedy (association footballer)

Patrick Anthony Kennedy (9 October 1934 – 18 March 2007) was an Irish footballer who played as a left-back for various clubs in the 1950s. As one of the Busby Babes, he was part of the Manchester United side that won the FA Youth Cup in 1953.

For the Gaelic football players, see Paddy Kennedy (disambiguation).
Paddy Kennedy
Personal information
Full name Patrick Anthony Kennedy
Date of birth (1934-10-09)9 October 1934
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Date of death 18 March 2007(2007-03-18) (aged 72)
Place of death Urmston, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Left-back
Youth career
Johnville (Dublin)
1950–1953 Manchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1953–1956 Manchester United 1 (0)
1956–1959 Blackburn Rovers 3 (0)
1959–1960 Southampton 2 (0)
1960–19?? Oldham Athletic 0 (0)
Total 6 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Football career

Kennedy was born in Dublin, in the Irish Republic and moved to England to join Manchester United as a 15-year-old.[1] Awarded his professional contract in February 1953,[2] Kennedy played alongside the likes of Duncan Edwards, Eddie Colman, David Pegg and Liam Whelan in United's FA Youth Cup winning side of 1953, when they defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers, 9–3 on aggregate.

Kennedy only made one first-team appearance for United, also against Wolves, in a 4–2 defeat on 2 October 1954.[3] He spent two further seasons in the reserves before a transfer to Blackburn Rovers in August 1956. Kennedy spent three seasons at Ewood Park, where his path to the first-team was blocked by long-serving England international Bill Eckersley. and he managed only three first-team appearances (all in the 1957–58 promotion winning season), before a transfer to Southampton of the Third Division in July 1959.

On joining the "Saints", he was immediately drafted into the first-team, making his debut in the opening game of the 1959–60 season, a 2–2 draw with Norwich City.[4] He retained his place for the next match, a 2–3 defeat at Chesterfield, before being replaced at left-back by fellow-Irishman Tommy Traynor, who kept the number 3 shirt for the rest of the season, at the end of which Southampton were Division 3 champions. Kennedy only made four appearances for the Southampton reserves, with David Scurr blocking his way into the side,[5] and was given a free transfer at the end of the season.[2]

Kennedy then joined Oldham Athletic, but never made the Latics' first team due to injury.[2]

Later career

Kennedy later managed a local amateur side in Urmston,[2] close to Old Trafford, where he remained resident until his death in March 2007. He was survived by his wife Bridget, four children, 11 grandchildren and three great grandchildren.[1] His grandson Kieran Kennedy is also a professional footballer with York City.

References
  1. Coppack, Nick (28 March 2007). "Obituary: Paddy Kennedy". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 3 July 2009.
  2. Holley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (1992). The Alphabet of the Saints. ACL & Polar Publishing. p. 196. ISBN 0-9514862-3-3.
  3. "Paddy Kennedy – Manchester United profile". StretfordEnd.co.uk. Retrieved 3 July 2009.
  4. Chalk, Gary; Holley, Duncan (1987). Saints – A complete record. Breedon Books. pp. 136–137. ISBN 0-907969-22-4.
  5. Holley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (2003). In That Number – A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC. Hagiology. pp. 442–443. ISBN 0-9534474-3-X.
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