AFC Totton
AFC Totton have completed their third new player signing of the close season with the capture of 25-year-old former Salisbury skipper, Charlie Kennedy.
Beginning his football career in the academy of Barnet FC, Kennedy earned a one-year professional deal with the Bees in 2015. He was high on Totton manager Jimmy Ball’s wanted list this summer and has agreed to take the step down from the Southern Premier League South in order to help the Stags’ stampede for promotion from the Southern League Div.1 South in the forthcoming season.
After a loan spell with Hayes & Yeading from February 2016, Kennedy joined Basingstoke Town the following summer. He played for the Dragons for three years and became their Club Captain in time for the 2018/19 season.
Described by Jimmy Ball as “strong, aggressive and uncompromising”, the central defender, who is equally comfortable operating in central midfield, signed for Gosport Borough in the summer of 2019 and regularly formed a formidable defensive midfield partnership with another new Stags signing Mike Carter, who wore the captain’s armband at Privett Park.
“We played together as holding midfielders with a more creative player just ahead of us,” reports Kennedy.
“Mike was the more aggressive and combative, but I’m also a very hard-working player and we did well as a partnership. Having someone like Mike in front of you when you’re playing in the back four makes life a lot easier, that’s for sure.”
Salisbury FC’s website describes Kennedy as “inspirational”, and the player himself says that he has captained almost every team he’s ever played for. He led the Whites to safety in the Southern Premier last season, but he is eager to win things and sees the move to the Snows Stadium as a way to make that happen.
“I’ve taken a step down with the intention of bouncing straight back up to the Premier with Totton. I’ve come here to help us win the league,” he says confidently.
“The set-up here is excellent and, although I didn’t previously know him, Jimmy really impressed me during our discussions and I’m looking forward to working under him.”
Kennedy is a good friend of Harry Medway, the two of them having grown up together in the Petersfield area. He also worked with the Stags’ goalkeeper coach Steve Hollick when the pair were both at Salisbury. To date, his team honours are limited to an U18s championship-winning medal with Barnet and a successful Hampshire Senior Cup campaign with Basingstoke in 2017, when they beat AFC Bournemouth’s U23s on penalties after a goalless draw in the Final at St. Mary’s Stadium.
Asked to name the famous player whose style of play most closely resembles his own, the 6’1” Kennedy nominated the former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand, though his new manager, being of an altogether different vintage, likened him to the infamous Leeds United stopper, Norman Hunter.
“This lad is a proper defender who eats rocks for breakfast. He’s going to bring lots and lots of experience to this football club,” the Stags boss enthused.
“He’s only ever played at Step 3 and above prior to coming here. We had earmarked Kennedy and Carter as key signings coming into the close season, so to have got the two of them over the line is very pleasing. With Luke Hallett also joining and the quality we already have in the squad, I’m happy with the way things are going – but there’s more work to do and, hopefully, a couple more new players yet to come.”
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Images courtesy of Craig Hobbs Photography
