Kennedy: James John (Jimmy)

1906-1909 (Leeds City Player Details)

Wing Half

Born: Dundee: 08-05-1883

Debut: v Bradford City (h): 01-09-1906

6’0” 12st 4lb (1906)

Kennedy started his career at Celtic and also played with Non-League Brighton and Hove Albion in 1905 before moving to Second Division Leeds City in June 1906. He stayed three seasons at Leeds before leaving for Stockport County in August 1909. In his first season he was the regular Left Half but took over at Centre Half after Gerald Kirk dropped out of contention, and Kennedy only missed three games in the entire season. With the arrival of Tom Hynds, he lost the Centre Half spot at the start of the 1907-08 season and only played eight games, alternating between the three Half Back positions to fill in for injured players. When Tom Hynds left after the one season, Kennedy had to face opposition from new signing Jock Hamilton for the Centre Half spot but after missing five of the first six games when Hamilton was preferred, he regained the position until Tom Morris arrived from Brighton and Hove Albion in February 1909, but still managed fifteen games for the season. Faced with opposition from Morris he chose to move to Stockport County in August 1909 and scored one goal in eighteen League appearances and also played two games in the F.A. Cup before moving to First Division Tottenham Hotspur in March 1910. He scored one goal in thirteen appearances at White Hart Lane, where he unfortunately broke his shoulder blade. His next move took him to Southern League club Swindon Town in April 1912. He made his debut on 5th September 1912 at Coventry City and he played fourteen Southern League games and one Southern League Cup game before his final game on 29th March 1913 at home to Stoke. He never returned to the Football League and joined Non-League Norwich City in July 1913, Watford for £75 in December 1913, where he skippered them to the Southern League championship. The war then intervened and he finished his professional career with Gillingham, who paid £25 for his services in December 1919, and he retired in May 1920 and became Gillingham’s Trainer for a couple of years before returning North of the Border to Train Partick Thistle. He Died in Glasgow on 20th July 1947.