Kenny Irons (footballer)
![]() |
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Kenneth Irons | ||
Date of birth | 4 November 1970 | ||
Place of birth | Liverpool, England | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Cammell Laird | ||
Youth career | |||
Tranmere Rovers | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1989–1999 | Tranmere Rovers | 351 | (54) |
1999–2003 | Huddersfield Town | 150 | (11) |
2003–2004 | Linfield | 35 | (2) |
2004 | NEWI Cefn Druids | 11 | (0) |
2004–2006 | Caernarfon Town | 36 | (4) |
Total | 583 | (71) | |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Kenneth Irons (born 4 November 1970) is an English former professional footballer who made more than 500 appearances in the Football League playing for Tranmere Rovers and Huddersfield Town.[1]
He was signed up as a trainee at Tranmere Rovers in 1989, where he made nearly 400 appearances for them in 10 years, before moving to Steve Bruce's Huddersfield Town side for £500,000 in 1999.
He brought steel to the Terriers' side and is most remembered by Town fans for his 35-yard thunderbolt goal that defeated Gianluca Vialli's Chelsea side 1–0 in the 3rd round of the League Cup at Stamford Bridge.[2]
In 2003, he left Town to join Irish Football League side Linfield, where he helped them gain the title during that season. The following season, he had a short spell at League of Wales side NEWI Cefn Druids, before moving to Caernarfon Town where he stayed until the arrival of Steve O'Shaughnessy as manager in September 2006.
He played football in Queensland, Australia. Irons stint for the Mareeba Bulls was mildly successful, finishing second the FNQ league. He now coaches at tranmere at the centre of excellence.
In 2008, Kenny signed for Liverpool Veterans Side Sacre Coeur, who compete in the I Zingari Combination League. However, following the 4–1 defeat on 9 April at the hands of Bootle side Jawbone FC, Irons finally retired.
At the age of 46, Irons helped England win the 2016 Seniors World Cup, for retired professionals, in Thailand.
References
- ^ "Kenny Irons". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
- ^ Tongue, Steve (13 October 1999). "Chelsea's second string cut down by Irons". The Independent. London. Retrieved 5 November 2009.
- 1970 births
- Living people
- Footballers from Liverpool
- English footballers
- Association football midfielders
- Tranmere Rovers F.C. players
- Huddersfield Town A.F.C. players
- Linfield F.C. players
- Cefn Druids A.F.C. players
- Caernarfon Town F.C. players
- Cammell Laird 1907 F.C. players
- English Football League players
- English football midfielder, 1970s birth stubs