Full name Matthew Kennedy Playing position Years Team Role Scottish footballer Weight 65 kg | Place of birth Irvine, Scotland Number 23 Name Matthew Kennedy Height 1.75 m Career start 2011 | |
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Date of birth (1994-11-01) 1 November 1994 (age 21) Current team Cardiff City F.C. (#23 / Midfielder) Profiles | ||
Matty Kennedy All Goals 2016-17 Plymouth Argyle
Matthew Kennedy (born 1 November 1994) is a Scottish footballer who plays as a winger for EFL League Two club Plymouth Argyle, on loan from EFL Championship side Cardiff City.
Contents
- Matty Kennedy All Goals 2016 17 Plymouth Argyle
- Kilmarnock
- Everton
- Cardiff City
- International career
- Style of play
- Career statistics
- References
He began his career at Kilmarnock, and represented Scotland at all youth international levels. He was sold to Everton in August 2012, and was loaned out to Tranmere Rovers, Milton Keynes Dons, and Hibernian, before being sold on to Cardiff City in February 2015. Initially a first team regular at Cardiff, he was dropped in the 2015–16 season and joined Port Vale on loan in January 2016, and then Plymouth Argyle on loan in January 2017.
Kilmarnock
Kennedy had the opportunity to join the Celtic and Rangers youth academies, but chose to join Kilmarnock as the club were closer to his home and he felt played a style of football that suited him. On 19 November 2011, aged 17, Kennedy made his first team debut as a substitute in a 1–1 draw with Hibernian at Easter Road. He started his first game for "Killie" in a 2–1 win over St Mirren at Rugby Park on 2 January 2012. He ended the 2011–12 campaign with 11 Scottish Premier League appearances. He played three games at the start of the 2012–13 season before leaving the club; manager Kenny Shiels expressed his concern that Kennedy had left Kilmarnock too soon and he had missed out on seeing Kennedy's "proper development" at the club.
Everton
On 31 August 2012, the final day of the summer transfer window, Kennedy signed for English Premier League side Everton for a "nominal fee". The fee was later revealed to be £225,000.
On 9 January 2014, Kennedy signed on loan for League One side Tranmere Rovers. Manager Ronnie Moore extended the loan spell for a further month after being impressed by his first six appearances at Prenton Park. On 26 March 2014, Kennedy joined Milton Keynes Dons, also of League One, on a youth loan until the end of the 2013–14 season. Manager Karl Robinson stated that Kennedy would bring "pace, trickery and excitement" to Stadium mk. He scored his first goal in the Football League for the "Dons" in a 2–2 draw at Rotherham United on 26 April.
On 8 August 2014, Kennedy joined Scottish Championship side Hibernian on a six-month loan deal after being signed by his former Everton under-21 manager Alan Stubbs. He initially found himself on the bench at Easter Road, though Stubbs was keen to extend the loan deal until the end of the 2014–15 season. On 29 October, he scored his second senior goal to help secure a 3–3 draw with Dundee United in the Scottish League Cup quarter-finals, however he missed his penalty in the resulting shoot-out. He said that he was "devastated" by his miss, which eliminated "Hibs" from the competition. He returned to Goodison Park on 5 January.
Cardiff City
On 2 February 2015, Kennedy signed for Championship side Cardiff City on a three-and-a-half year contract for an undisclosed fee. He made his full debut for the "Bluebirds" 15 days later in a 1–1 draw with Blackburn Rovers at Cardiff City Stadium, playing the full 90 minutes and producing a Man of the Match performance. He settled in well at the club, and was touted as one of manager Russell Slade's best signings for the club. He made a total of 14 league appearances in the second half of the 2014–15 season.
Kennedy was described as a "forgotten man" after playing just one league game in the first half of the 2015–16 season. On 25 January 2016, he joined League One side Port Vale on a one-month loan. He said that he was attracted to the "Valiants" by manager Rob Page, who Cardiff coaches told him was the best man to bring out his best qualities. He began his time at Vale Park in good form, and was hopeful of extending his stay further than the initial month. After late negotiations, Cardiff agreed to extend to loan until 26 April. However he returned to Cardiff on 7 April after being demoted from the first eleven to a place on the bench. Page said that "to go from under-21s football to playing week-in, week-out, two games a week at League One level caught up with him".
On 31 January 2017, he joined EFL League Two club Plymouth Argyle on loan until the end of the 2016–17 season.
International career
Kennedy has represented Scotland at under-15, under-16, under-17 and under-19 level. He was selected by under-21 interim coach Ricky Sbragia to play Portugal under-21 at Estádio do Bonfim, Setúbal on 14 November 2012; he came on for Callum Paterson 66 minutes into a 3–2 defeat, in what was his only under-21 cap.
Style of play
Able to play on either wing, Kennedy was described by Tranmere Rovers manager Ronnie Moore as "quick, [he] likes to take on defenders and [is someone] will create chances for his team-mates".