Callum Kennedy

Callum Ewan Kennedy (born 9 November 1989) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Billericay Town.

Career Swindon Town Born in Chertsey, Surrey, Kennedy made his professional debut for Swindon Town at home to Brentford, in a 4–1 win in the Football League Trophy on 4 September 2007. Kennedy signed an eighteen-month professional contract with Swindon in February 2008 before being made captain of the reserve team. He was handed his Football League debut by caretaker manager David Byrne in a 1–1 draw at home to Carlisle United on 6 December 2008. He played 82 minutes before being substituted for Kevin Amankwaah. Kennedy started the next two games as well, a 1–0 away loss to Crewe Alexandra on 13 December 2008 which saw Kennedy play the full match, and a 3–2 home loss to Yeovil Town on 20 December 2008 where he played for 83 minutes before being substituted for Blair Sturrock. Kennedy did well in the three matches he played and signed a new one-year deal in February 2009. He made one more appearance during the 2008–09 season, an away loss to Yeovil, when he came on as a substitute after 24 minutes and played in an unfamiliar left midfield position after an injury to Hal Robson-Kanu.

Kennedy continued to be on the fringes of the first team at the start of the 2009–10 season, coming on as a substitute in 3 of the opening 4 games before playing the entire League Cup second round game at Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers. The game went to a penalty shoot-out with Kennedy taking and scoring Swindon's first penalty. However Wolves went on to win the shoot-out 6–5. 4 games later Kennedy came on as a second-half substitute against Walsall and put in an impressive performance that boosted his hopes of getting a starting place in the first team. He got his wish and started 4 of the following 5 games, however he missed the next two games before returning to the starting line-up in a FA Cup first round game at home to Woking that ended in a 1–0 win for Swindon. Following this Kennedy suffered a massive blow when he suffered a stress fracture of the pelvis that sidelined him for the rest of the season. He returned to light training in March 2010 and although he took part in Swindon's pre-season tour of Austria, Kennedy had not yet returned to full training.

He returned from injury in mid August 2010 claiming he was ready for Swindon's first team and got himself back onto the fringes of the first team. After coming on against Brentford on 21 August, he started three consecutive games, all of which ended in clean sheets for Swindon, with two victories. Despite this, when Alan Sheehan re-signed for the club in September, Kennedy was dropped to the bench finding himself behind both Sheehan and Michael Rose in the pecking order. As a result of this Kennedy agreed to join Gillingham on a month's loan on 9 November 2010. Whilst at Gillingham Kennedy made 3 appearances against Crewe, Oxford United and Barnet. After the loan spell was completed, he returned to Swindon and signed a one-year extension to his contract. Still unable to break into the Swindon first team, Kennedy went out on loan again, this time to Rotherham United on an initial month loan on 11 February 2011. The deal was extended to the end of the season on 16 March. His spell with Rotherham got off to a bad start when he was sent off in his debut for the club against Oxford United when he brought down Steve MacLean in the box, who scored the subsequent penalty to give Oxford a 2–1 victory. In total Kennedy made 5 appearances for Rotherham.

By the time Kennedy returned to the County Ground Swindon had been relegated to League Two and had a new manager in Paolo Di Canio who made Kennedy his first choice left back. He scored his first career goal and Swindon's first of the 2011–12 season during the opening game of the season against Crewe. The goal was a penalty following a foul on Billy Bodin by Adam Dugdale. The game ended in a 3–0 win for Swindon. Kennedy went on to start the first thirteen matches of the new campaign. With Swindon making an indifferent start, di Canio brought Liam Ridehalgh in on loan from Huddersfield Town on 28 September 2011. As a result, Kennedy was dropped from the first team, only appearing in the 4–1 FA Cup win over Huddersfield in which Ridehalgh was not allowed to play. It wasn't until the turn of the year when Kennedy again made the starting eleven, appearing in four consecutive victories, including a famous win over Premier League side Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup. After appearing in a big 4–1 win at promotion chasing Southend and then helping Swindon to the 2012 Football League Trophy Final the following week, Kennedy made just two more starts over the next two months as during the buildup to the Wembley final, di Canio signed Jay McEveley on loan from Barnsley and thrust him straight into the starting eleven. Kennedy was to make just one more appearance for Swindon, in a 2–1 defeat at Aldershot Town in a game where a point would have sealed promotion. Even though Swindon won the League Two title, Kennedy was released on 18 May 2012 after his contract was not going to be renewed and he left with four other Swindon players.