Full name Benjamin Kennedy Playing position Years Team Role Football goalkeeper Weight 83 kg Date joined 2006 | Place of birth Newcastle, Australia Number 20 Name Ben Kennedy Height 1.89 m Parents Karen Kennedy | |
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Date of birth (1987-02-14) 14 February 1987 (age 28) Current team Newcastle Jets FC (#20 / Goalkeeper) Profiles | ||
Ben Kennedy (born 14 February 1987 in Newcastle, Australia) is a soccer goalkeeper who plays for the Newcastle United Jets in the A-League.
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Biography
Kennedy was a train-on player for the Jets, but was brought into the full squad for the 2006/07 Hyundai A-League season. Until half-way through the 2006-2007 A-League season, Newcastle only had the inexperienced Ben Kennedy as a registered goalkeeper in their squad, until former Socceroo Ante Covic joined the squad.
Kennedy became the Jets first-choice goalkeeper for the 2009-10 A-League season thanks to some strong performances in the 2009 AFC Champions League, after the departure of Ante Covic to Sweden. However, he was criticised by his coach Branko Čulina for poor performances during the season and making mistakes that cost the Jets vital points.
He was replaced as Newcastle's first choice keeper by Neil Young, due to impressive performances by the 30-year-old. Young was injured when he broke his nose and Kennedy came back into the team. Kennedy was the hero in the match against Gold Coast United, making crucial saves throughout the game and saving two penalties, in a game that Newcastle won 6-5.
Kennedy started the 2014-15 season as 2nd choice keeper to Mark Birighitti. He made his 2014-15 debut in Round 8, and his no.1 spot was cemented when Mark Birighitti left temporarily due to a 6-month loan deal at Italian Serie B club A.S. Varese. In the Jet's Round 27 clash away to the Brisbane Roar, Kennedy produced a number of great saves to deny Brisbane going 5-0 up in the first half. Despite this, the Jets were downed 2-1 due to goals from Kofi Danning and Lachlan Jackson, but Kennedy's performance was rewarded with a place in the Team of the Week. Kennedy made a total of 84 saves, only being outnumbered by rival custodian Liam Reddy.
Career statistics
As of 23 September 2014CS = Clean Sheets
1 – includes A-League final series statistics
2 – includes FIFA Club World Cup statistics; AFC Champions League statistics are included in season closing during group stages (i.e. ACL 2009 and A-League season 2008–09 etc.)
Honours
With Newcastle Jets !Newcastle Jets: