Matty Kennedy
Matthew Kennedy (born 1 November 1994) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a winger for club Kilmarnock. Having represented Scotland at youth international level, he has represented Northern Ireland at senior international level. Kennedy 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; he helped Plymouth to achieve promotion out of EFL League Two at the end of the season. He joined Portsmouth on loan for the 2017–18 season. Kennedy returned to Scottish football in July 2018, signing with St Johnstone. He moved to Aberdeen in January 2020, where he would remain for two-and-a-half seasons, before rejoining Kilmarnock in June 2023. Career Kilmarnock Kennedy had the opportunity to join the youth academies of Celtic and Rangers, but chose to join Kilmarnock as the club were closer to his home in South Ayrshire 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. In a later interview he stated that "I’ve got nothing but praise for their academy. I don’t think you could have a better youth set up. My coaches were David Unsworth, Alan Stubbs and David Weir." 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 English 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