I’ve played my part, but there are other people who played their part in the demise of Billy Kenny. So I’m still bitter and frustrated today, at the age of 53. It was an absolute waste of talent.” Kenny used to be one of the most promising young footballers in England, pursued by Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool and Howard Kendall at Everton.
He chose his beloved Everton and for a few fleeting months his extraordinary talent shimmered – most memorably during a man‑of‑the-match performance against Liverpool at Goodison Park in December 1992. His teammate Peter Beardsley called him “the Goodison Gazza” in an eerily prophetic comparison. Kenny played once for England’s under-21s in March 1993, but his ravaging fall echoes the addictions and troubles of Paul Gascoigne.
Kenny discovered cocaine in the early hours of the morning after his greatest game, when he had just turned 19. A cocaine habit spiralled out of control very quickly and he retired from professional football two years later. He had played 23 games for Everton, four for Oldham and two for Barrow.
Kenny struggled as an addict for years and ended up in prison. I came off the drugs the day of her funeral and she’s given me the strength to stay sober. I just couldn’t do it while she was alive and that’s what kills me.” Kenny breaks down twice during our interview, but he tells his story with raw force.
He was besotted with Everton, but now the club haunts him. There was no one for me.” How would life have turned out for Kenny if he had been a gifted player today? I would be talking about glory days and winning for Everton.
I feel as though it’s been stolen from me and the fans have been robbed of me as well.” Kenny’s moving new book, written by the Guardian’s Jamie Fahey, who grew up on the same streets in Liverpool, is a penetrating and, yes, sobering depiction of a period in English football when drink addled so many young men. The complex figure of Kendall lies at the broken heart of this story. He had his own troubles, didn’t he?
Extract — continue reading at the source.
