Ben Kennedy

Ben James Kennedy (born 12 January 1997) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or forward for NIFL Premiership club Crusaders.

Kennedy joined Stevenage on a two-year youth scholarship in the summer of 2013 and broke into the first team during the 2014–15 season. He signed for Newport County on loan in January 2019 before returning to Stevenage at the end of the 2018–19 season. He was released by Stevenage in June 2020 and joined Crusaders of the NIFL Premiership two months later. He has also represented Northern Ireland at under-17, under-19 and under-21 level.

Club Career

Stevenage

Kennedy attracted the attention of Stevenage in the summer of 2013, having been scouted by Stevenage academy manager Darren Sarll whilst playing for Northern Ireland at youth level. Sarll spoke to Kennedy's parents and offered Kennedy the opportunity to train with the club's youth academy. He accepted the offer, played one match for the Stevenage under-18 team and subsequently signed a two-year scholarship with the club ahead of the 2013–14 season.

The following season, Kennedy impressed Stevenage manager Graham Westley whilst competing in the 2014–15 FA Youth Cup, particularly in the club's 2–1 extra-time defeat to Everton in the Third Round of the competition in December 2014. Two days after the match against Everton, he was offered the chance to train with the first team, and he made his first-team debut a month later, on 31 January 2015, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 2–0 League Two defeat against Oxford United at Broadhall Way. A week later, he made his first starting appearance, playing the whole game in a 1–0 defeat away to Mansfield Town. Kennedy scored his first professional goals the following week, on 14 February 2015, scoring twice in a 3–1 victory away at Hartlepool United. Four days after scoring his first two goals for the club, he signed his first professional contract. Kennedy scored four goals in 17 games during his first s