‘Big talent’ Billy Kenny, whose career ended at 21: I spent 25 years on alcohol and cocaine
Billy Kenny was a young Everton talent and one of the biggest hopes of English football in the 1990s. Former Everton footballer Bill Keny, nicknamed “Goodison Gazza” for his style of play, has been compared to Paul Gascoigne.
Kenny, who grew up in Everton’s academy, was just 19 when he made his professional debut with the Coventry game in October 1992. In the first Merseyside derby in the Premier League, he was voted man of the match and won praise. However, his career was hampered by injuries and hernia problems that required surgery. These injuries, underlying depression, and the heavy drinking culture at the club at the time caused Kenny to lose control.
Kenny, who gave candid statements about his experiences, said: “I never had a girlfriend until I made it to Everton’s A-team. It was kind of standard. Ever since I was a little boy, I felt like I had to be one of the men who went through this.” He admitted that he had a troubled childhood.
“I WENT TO HELL AT AGE 20”
Everton, after noticing Kenny’s problems, sent him to Convent Hospital, which provides mental health and addiction treatment, to recover. But back in the days when Premier League clubs didn’t have the right psychological support system, Kenny’s situation fell largely under the radar.
In an interview he gave earlier, Kenny, describing his hospitalization at Convent Hospital, said: “Once I was homeless for almost 17 days using alcohol and cocaine. This was the worst time I have ever had. I smoked cocaine regularly on the street for days on end. My heart stopped once and I found myself in the hospital. I went to hell at 20 and came back.
After making just 17 Premier League appearances for Everton, he transferred to Oldham in 1994, managed by Joe Royle. Oldham management did not want Kenny’s talents to go to waste by focusing on football, but he was unable to overcome his addiction and had to give up football at the age of 21 after a brief spell at Barrow.
“25 YEARS OF ALCOHOL AND COCAINE”
Kenny, who has admitted to making uncomfortable mistakes in his youth, said: “I’ve been on alcohol and cocaine for 25 years. He was definitely drinking non-stop. I’m surprised I’m still alive. I started drinking as soon as I woke up, drinking for two or three days and sleeping for two days. Then I would eat Chinese food and repeat the same things.” he used his statements.
Photo: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo
“I WAS A SELFISH SHIT”
“I was a selfish jerk. All I wanted was alcohol and drugs,” Kenny said, adding that he was sorry for putting his family in that situation. Kenny’s father, Billy Kenny Snr, was also a soccer player who played for Everton in the 1970s. Thinking of the chaos he experienced at the time, Kenny said that his father sometimes couldn’t leave the house for embarrassed and hurt his parents.
LIFE CHANGED WHEN HIS MOTHER DIED
Kenny was cleared after the death of his mother, Bella. Now sober, Kenny tells his story so that young footballers don’t make the same mistakes and puts on a show at the Royal Court Theater in Liverpool:
“My mom must be giving me strength. Because she couldn’t do this alone. She couldn’t tell you how I did it while I was sitting here. I have bad days that require me to work hard to stay sane and sober. But life is great for me right now. I’m sober and this is perfect. Losing your mother is worse than losing your job. Soccer was fun for me and it turned into work. At the end of the day, I lost my job. I told my father, ‘Someday I’ll make you proud again.’ And now he is happy when I am on stage. I played for Everton and no one can take it away from me.”