Paddy Kenny

 ( 1978 Births ) 

He was injured for three months of the 2003–04 season, but upon his recovery he regained his first team place from loanee Paul Gerrard. Kenny featured 48 times in the 2004–05 season as United finished six points outside the play-off places. He played every minute of United's promotion campaign to the Premier League in 2005–06. In February 2006 Sheffield United faced promotion rivals Reading. With the scores level at 1-1 Reading were awarded a last minute penalty, however Kenny saved Dave Kitson's effort. In November 2006, despite being told by club manager Neil Warnock to keep a low profile, Kenny went for a night out in Halifax. He became involved in a drunken brawl outside a curry house with a former friend, who admitted to having an affair with Kenny's wife. The fight ended with Kenny having his eyebrow bitten off and requiring 12 stitches. The affair brought an end to his marriage. He continued to be a key member of the United team in their season in the top flight but was unable to help prevent the club from being relegated on the final day of the 2006–07 season. In a match against Blackburn Rovers in September 2006 Kenny saved a Lucas Neill penalty in a 0–0 draw. His opposite number Brad Friedel also saved two penalties in the same match.

Back in the Championship he maintained his position of being the club's number one keeper for the 2007–08 campaign. With the team struggling Kenny maintained fine form with the only low point coming in February; despite making several excellent saves, he mistakenly knocked the ball into his own net in extra time in an FA Cup fifth round replay against Middlesbrough, a goal which knocked Sheffield United out of the cup.

Kenny began to voice disquiet over his contract situation at the end of 2008, despite manager Kevin Blackwell insisting that the club were set to open talks on a new deal. Despite this Kenny was dropped for the Boxing Day game against Wolverhampton Wanderers after being late for training and he was placed on the transfer list a few days later. He returned to the first team after sitting out two league games and was again ever present until the end of the 2008–09 season, including an appearance at Wembley Stadium in the Championship play-off final. Although United missed out on promotion Kenny agreed a contract extension a few days later, effectively signalling his removal from the transfer list.

Only a few weeks after signing a contract extension it was reported that Kenny had failed a drug test after the previous season's play-off semi-final. Kenny tested positive for ephedrine, a banned substance, believed to have been contained in a cough medicine he bought over the counter. Following an FA hearing in September 2009, Kenny was banned from all professional football for nine months. He was not allowed to go to Bramall Lane, so had to train on his own away from his teammates and coaches. Despite an unsuccessful appeal against his ban, Sheffield United still opted to agree a new contract extension with Kenny during his enforced absence from first team football.

Kenny continued to remain Rangers number one keeper in their first season back in the Premier League, making 33 starts and keeping seven clean sheets. QPR retained their Premier League place on the final day of the 2011–12 season, despite Kenny conceding an injury time goal to Sergio Agüero to lose the title deciding game against Manchester City.

Despite Kenny's good form during the 2011–12 season, new manager Mark Hughes decided to sign England keeper Robert Green from West Ham United before the 2012–13 campaign began, effectively ensuring that Kenny would lose his place in the first team, and as such Kenny was subsequently made available for a transfer. Soon after Kenny's departure from the club, QPR wrote a formal letter of complaint to Leeds United over abusive texts allegedly sent by Kenny to their technical director Mike Rigg and chairman Tony Fernandes. The texts were reported to have mocked the club's poor first result of the season and, in particular, the performance of Green; Kenny subsequently had his Twitter account deleted.

On 22 February 2014, Kenny missed his first league game since signing for Leeds, due to an ongoing injury he picked up against Nottingham Forest earlier in the 2013–14 season. Leeds signed Jack Butland on loan who went straight into the first team and made his debut in a 0–0 draw with Middlesbrough, where he received the man of the match award. Kenny wasn't named in a matchday squad after the signing of Jack Butland, with goalkeeper Alex Cairns favoured ahead of Kenny as the club's second choice goalkeeper. On 25 April, Kenny's agents brought out a statement confirming that Kenny was fit and available for selection despite his absence from the matchday squads. On 30 June 2014, Kenny was left out of Leeds' two week pre-season training camp to Santa Cristina in Italy. On 3 July, the Professional Footballers' Association investigated alleged media reports that Kenny had been dropped due to his birthdate falling on the 17th of a month, with owner Massimo Cellino having a deep superstition of the number 17. However, Kenny's agent Paul Masterton, laughed off the claims that Kenny had been dropped due to his birthdate falling on the 17th of a month. On the same day, Leeds signed goalkeeper Stuart Taylor increasing speculation about Kenny's long-term future at the club.

On 1 August 2014, Kenny wasn't assigned a Leeds squad number for the 2014–15 season, with new signing Marco Silvestri taking over Kenny's previous 1 squad number. On 18 August, Kenny left Leeds by mutual consent.