Matty Kennedy, an Irish forward born on 1 November 1994, is primarily recognised for his stellar performances on the left-wing. Currently plying his trade with Kilmarnock, Kennedy is of medium build, standing at 5ft 8in (1.75m) and weighing 10st 3lb (65kg). This agile winger is synonymous with the number 10 jersey on the pitch.
Kennedy's football career took off in July 2011 when he initially joined Kilmarnock. In his debut season of 2011 - 2012, Kennedy was able to make 11 first team appearances in Scottish Premiership matches. The following season saw him making fewer appearances, as he was featured in only three matches. Despite the dip, Kennedy's resilience remained unshaken. During the seasons of 2023 - 2024 and 2024 - 2025, he began to find the back of the net, scoring three and four goals respectively. However, Kennedy has yet to make an appearance in the current 2025 - 2026 season.
In the ensuing years, Kennedy's transfer journey was nothing short of a roller coaster ride. From Kilmarnock, he moved to Everton in England's Premier League in August 2012 for an undisclosed fee. A string of loan spells followed this transfer: first to Tranmere Rovers, MK Dons, Hibernian, and then, Cardiff City, ranging from the English League Two to English League One and the Scottish Premiership. Notably, his stint at Cardiff City saw fluctuating fortunes - a fruitful season of 14 first team appearances quickly followed by seasons of dwindling numbers.
August 2017 saw him temporarily transfer to Portsmouth in the Championship, followed by a permanent move to St Johnstone in July 2018. Kennedy finally struck gold during his time with the latter, scoring nine goals in two seasons. This prompted a move to Aberdeen in January 2020, where his season highlight was a tally of 31 first team appearances.
July 2023 marked Kennedy's return to his roots as he transferred back to Kilmarnock in the Premiership. The return to familiar terrain seems to have benefited the forward, as he has managed to maintain an improved performance rate in the past few years, consistently finding the net with accuracy. This proves that, despite his nomadic career, Kennedy's talent for the game remains undenied.
