Paul McKenna (footballer)

Paul Stephen McKenna (born 20 October 1977) is an English former professional footballer.

Paul McKenna
McKenna in 2009
Personal information
Full name Paul Stephen McKenna[1]
Date of birth (1977-10-20) 20 October 1977
Place of birth Eccleston, England[2]
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1992–1996 Preston North End
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–2009 Preston North End 418 (30)
2009–2011 Nottingham Forest 67 (3)
2011–2013 Hull City 50 (0)
2013 → Fleetwood Town (loan) 15 (0)
2014–2015 Bamber Bridge
2016 Longridge Town 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Preston North End

Born in Eccleston, Lancashire, after making his debut in 1997 he soon became a fixture in the Preston North End first team.[3] His appearance tally was 427 at the end of the 2007–08 season. This puts him at number nine in the all-time record appearances for the club. He has worn the number 16 shirt since squad numbers were adopted by the Football League.

The 2006–07 season ended in disappointment for the Chorley-born player, not only at missing out on the Play-offs but at missing the last two months of the season with a groin problem. However, he recovered from the injury in time to make a first-team return in October 2007, and was named club captain in one of Paul Simpson's last acts as manager. McKenna has missed just one game since being handed the captain's armband.

McKenna scored the winning penalty in the penalty shoot-out of the 2000–01 Division One play-off semi-final second leg between Preston and Birmingham City at Deepdale, which saw the Lilywhites head to the Millennium Stadium for the final.[4]

McKenna was voted PFA Player of the Season at the end of the 2004–05 season after 35 appearances and 3 goals.[5]

He signed a new three-and-a-half-year contract with Preston in November 2005.[6]

Nottingham Forest

McKenna signed for Nottingham Forest on a three-year contract for a fee of £750,000 on 20 July 2009.[7] He was immediately installed as club captain.[8]

On 19 December 2009, McKenna scored his first goal for Forest against former club Preston with a 25-yard shot into the bottom left hand corner.[9] However, he refused to celebrate the goal, showing restraint as a mark of respect to the Preston fans. Forest went on to win the game 3–0.[10]

2011–12
McKenna playing for Hull City in 2011

On 1 July 2011, following speculation that he may rejoin his former employers Preston North End, McKenna joined Hull City on a two-year contract on a free transfer.[11] He made his debut in the first game of the season on 5 August 2011 at the KC Stadium in the 0–1 defeat to Blackpool.[12] McKenna enjoyed a strong season as a regular in central midfield in the club's push for promotion.

2012–13

McKenna was sent off on 27 August 2012 in a League Cup game against Doncaster for kicking out at Doncaster's Rob Jones.[13] For the remainder of his time at Hull he was mainly named as a substitute by manager Steve Bruce.[14]

On 25 January 2013 McKenna was loaned to Fleetwood Town for the remainder of the 2012–13 season.[15]

On 16 May 2013, Hull City announced that McKenna, along with 11 others would be free to leave the KC stadium, as they prepared for their first season back in the Premier League.[16]

Bamber Bridge

McKenna signed for Northern Premier League side Bamber Bridge on a free transfer in September 2014.[17] He retired in December 2015.[18]

Longridge Town

In January 2016 McKenna took up a coaching role at Longridge Town alongside former Preston North End teammate Lee Ashcroft. McKenna played in one fixture but said his main priority is coaching.[19]

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Preston North End 1996–97[3] Second Division 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1
1997–98[20] 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
1998–99[21] 36 0 2 1 1 0 2[lower-alpha 1] 0 41 1
1999–2000[22] 23 2 2 1 5 0 1[lower-alpha 1] 0 31 3
2000–01[4] First Division 44 5 1 0 2 0 3[lower-alpha 2] 0 50 5
2001–02[23] 38 4 2 0 1 0 ― 41 4
2002–03[24] 41 3 1 0 3 0 ― 45 3
2003–04[25] 39 6 3 0 0 0 ― 42 6
2004–05[26] Championship 39 3 1 0 2 0 3[lower-alpha 2] 0 45 3
2005–06[27] 39 2 2 0 1 0 2[lower-alpha 2] 0 46 2
2006–07[28] 33 2 3 0 1 0 ― 37 2
2007–08[29] 33 0 3 0 0 0 ― 36 0
2008–09[30] 44 2 1 0 2 0 2[lower-alpha 2] 0 49 2
Total 418 30 21 2 25 0 13 0 477 32
Nottingham Forest 2009–10[9] Championship 35 1 1 0 3 0 2[lower-alpha 2] 0 41 1
2010–11[31] 32 2 1 0 1 0 1[lower-alpha 2] 0 35 2
Total 67 3 2 0 4 0 3 0 76 3
Hull City 2011–12[12] Championship 41 0 1 0 1 0 ― 43 0
2012–13[32] 10 0 1 0 2 0 ― 13 0
Total 50 0 2 0 3 0 ― 55 0
Fleetwood Town (loan) 2012–13[32] League Two 15 0 ― ― ― 15 0
Career total 550 33 25 2 32 0 16 0 623 35
  1. Appearances in Football League Trophy
  2. Appearances in First Division/Championship play-offs

References
  1. "Paul McKenna". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  2. Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2012). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2012–2013 (43rd ed.). London: Headline. p. 479. ISBN 978-0-7553-6356-8.
  3. "Games played by Paul McKenna in 1996/1997". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  4. "Games played by Paul McKenna in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  5. "Mckenna : PFA Championship Player of the Year". thefootballnetwork.net. The Football Network. 28 April 2005. Retrieved 31 July 2007.
  6. "McKenna signs deal extension". football.co.uk. 16 November 2005. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2007.
  7. "Gunter & McKenna sign for Forest". BBC Sport. BBC. 20 July 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
  8. "Skipper's Challenge". nottinghamforest.co.uk. Nottingham Forest F.C. 7 August 2009. Archived from the original on 17 September 2009.
  9. "Games played by Paul McKenna in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  10. "Nottingham Forest 3–0 Preston". BBC Sport. 19 December 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  11. "City Bring in McKenna". hullcityafc.net. Hull City A.F.C. 1 July 2011. Archived from the original on 3 July 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  12. "Games played by Paul McKenna in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  13. Woodcock, Ian (27 August 2012). "Doncaster 3–2 Hull". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
  14. "Paul McKenna Player Profile – ESPN FC". www.espnfc.com. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  15. "Paul McKenna: Fleetwood sign Hull midfielder on loan". BBC Sport. BBC. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  16. "Abdoulaye Faye signs new Hull City deal as 12 players depart". BBC Sport. BBC. 16 May 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  17. "PNE legend McKenna set for Brig debut". Lancashire Evening Post. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  18. Seddon, Dave (23 December 2015). "Ex-PNE midfielder McKenna hangs up his boots". Lancashire Evening Post. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  19. "Former PNE star McKenna set to make Longridge bow". www.lep.co.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  20. "Games played by Paul McKenna in 1997/1998". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  21. "Games played by Paul McKenna in 1998/1999". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  22. "Games played by Paul McKenna in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  23. "Games played by Paul McKenna in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  24. "Games played by Paul McKenna in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  25. "Games played by Paul McKenna in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  26. "Games played by Paul McKenna in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  27. "Games played by Paul McKenna in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  28. "Games played by Paul McKenna in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  29. "Games played by Paul McKenna in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  30. "Games played by Paul McKenna in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  31. "Games played by Paul McKenna in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  32. "Games played by Paul McKenna in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
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