Matty Kennedy, born in Northern Ireland on 1 November 1994, is a well-seasoned forward currently plying his trade as a left winger for Kilmarnock. Boasting a height of 5ft 8in (1.75 metres) and a weight of 10st 3lb (65kg), Kennedy has become a recognisable figure on the pitch, particularly in his Kilmarnock number 10 jersey.
In July 2011, Kennedy's football career kicked off at Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership, where he made his debut in the 2011/2012 season. Although his first season saw him take to the field for only 11 league matches, Kennedy still made a discernible contribution to the team. His appearance tally fell to three in the following season. Years later, in the 2023/2024 season, Kennedy made a total of 35 league appearances and netted three goals for Kilmarnock. His performances continued to stand out in the 2024/2025 season, during which he saw action in 19 matches and added four more goals to his professional account. As of the current season, however, Kennedy has yet to make an appearance on the pitch.
August 2012 saw a significant shift take place in Kennedy's career, as he transferred from Kilmarnock to Everton in the English Premier League for an undisclosed fee. After a fairly uneventful stint at Everton, Kennedy was loaned out to Tranmere Rovers in 2014. Here, he racked up eight league appearances. This was followed by another loan to MK Dons that same year, this time seeing Kennedy net his first loan-side goal in his seven league appearances.
After his time in England, Kennedy returned to Scottish soil in 2014, joining Hibernian on loan from Everton, where he featured in 13 Premiership games. However, his time at Hibernian was brief as he transferred once again, this time heading to Cardiff City for an undisclosed fee in 2015. At Cardiff City, he faced sporadic game time, in various seasons making a small number of appearances.
Continuing his habit of short stints, Kennedy was loaned out to Port Vale from Cardiff in 2016. Following an unexceptional season at Port Vale, he returned to Cardiff, again with limited pitch time. Undeterred, Kennedy was again loaned out, splitting his 2017 with Plymouth Argyle, where he scored five goals in 17 appearances, before moving to Portsmouth, where he bagged three goals in 21 appearances.
2018 marked a period of stability for Kennedy, as he transferred to St Johnstone from Cardiff. During his time at St Johnstone, he scored a total of nine goals in 54 appearances over two seasons. In 2020, Kennedy made a move to Aberdeen for another undisclosed fee. Over four seasons at Aberdeen, he accumulated two goals and made 68 appearances.
In 2023, Kennedy came full circle, transferring from Aberdeen back to Kilmarnock where he had launched his career years prior.
