Famous Like Me > Footballer > K > Alan Kennedy
Profile of Alan Kennedy
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Name: |
Alan Kennedy |
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Date of Birth: |
31st August 1954 |
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Place of Birth: |
Sunderland |
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Profession: |
Footballer |
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From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia Alan Kennedy (born 31st August 1954) was a footballer who played for Liverpool during their halcyon days in the late 1970s and early 1980s who had a knack of scoring in major cup finals.
A full back based on the left flank, Kennedy came through the ranks at Newcastle United and played against Liverpool in the 1974 FA Cup final at Wembley. The 19 year old Kennedy and his team-mates were soundly beaten 3-0 and two years later Kennedy would be a Wembley loser again when Manchester City beat Newcastle 2-1 in the League Cup final.
After Alec Lindsay left Liverpool, the club had a couple of years with a minor problem in the left back role, as a host of right-footed players were tested in that position, including Phil Neal, Alan Hansen and Joey Jones. Then, after Liverpool won their second European Cup in 1978, manager Bob Paisley decided to cure the problem once and for all and bought Kennedy from Newcastle. He slotted straight into the side which regained the League championship crown in 1979 and then retained it a year later. Confusion initially reigned over Kennedy's arrival as Liverpool already had the unrelated Ray Kennedy in their ranks, and indeed the two combined well down the left flank for three seasons together.
Kennedy suffered an injury which kept him out of much of the following season but returned in time to help Liverpool towards the League Cup final against West Ham United. Kennedy scored the opening goal of the final in extra-time but West Ham still managed an equaliser to force a replay which Liverpool won 2-1.
The defining moment of Kennedy's time in the Liverpool team came in that season's European Cup final, staged in Paris, against Real Madrid. The game was a tight affair with few chances, but in the last ten minutes Kennedy made a surging run down the left flank and fired a vicious shot into the Real net at the near post. Liverpool's third European Cup was sealed.
Kennedy maintained his place in the side - Liverpool regained the League and retained the League Cup in 1982 - and continued his happy habit of getting goals in big finals, firing a superb long-range equaliser in the 1983 League Cup final against Manchester United which Liverpool then went on to win 2-1. In the same year, Kennedy won his fourth League title.
Liverpool's treble of League title, League Cup and European Cup in 1984 all prominently featured Kennedy, who again proved his worth for the big occasion when he scored the deciding penalty in the shoot-out against AS Roma in the European Cup final after the game itself had ended level.
Kennedy played much of the trophy-free season which followed in 1985 but was sold the following year by manager Kenny Dalglish as young Irish full back Jim Beglin emerged to claim the left back role. He was unlucky when it came to the international scene, winning just two caps for England at a time when Arsenal defender Kenny Sansom had a monopoly on the left back role.
After spells in Belgium, the English lower divisions and non-league football, Kennedy quit the game at the age of 40. He has been seen frequently in recent years adding his opinions on the game as a pundit for Sky Sports, amongst other media organisations. He is also a columnist for the official Liverpool website. He has also represented Liverpool in the veterans' side.
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