Billy Kenny, once regarded as one of England’s most promising young footballers, has spoken candidly about his troubled career and struggles with addiction, highlighting what he perceives as a lack of support from Everton Football Club during his formative years. Now 53, Kenny reflects on a turbulent journey marked by early talent, personal challenges, and ongoing efforts to maintain sobriety.

Kenny’s football potential attracted interest from several top clubs, including Manchester United, Liverpool, and Everton. Ultimately, he chose Everton, the club he supported as a child. After a standout man-of-the-match performance against Liverpool at Goodison Park in December 1992, he earned the nickname “the Goodison Gazza,” a comparison made by teammate Peter Beardsley referencing Paul Gascoigne’s similar career arc. Kenny also made one appearance for England’s under-21 side in March 1993.

However, Kenny’s professional career was short-lived. Shortly after his breakthrough, at the age of 19, he developed a cocaine addiction that rapidly intensified and led to his retirement from professional football two years later. Over his career, he played 23 games for Everton, along with brief spells at Oldham Athletic and Barrow. The addiction was compounded by an environment he described as heavily centered on drinking, especially under then-manager Howard Kendall, who encouraged socializing at local pubs after training.

Kenny recounted feeling pressured to drink to fit in with teammates and earn Kendall’s approval, describing a culture where alcohol was pervasive and where no one intervened to help him. He described group therapy arranged by Everton at the Priory as ineffective, as he was placed among much older alcoholics and could not relate to them. After Everton terminated his contract in 1994, Kenny felt abandoned, noting that he needed empathy and guidance but received none.

He later had struggles with the law linked to his addiction, including sentences for drink-driving and other offenses. Kenny has credited his late mother’s death 15 years ago as a turning point that gave him the strength to stop using drugs and alcohol. He says he has maintained sobriety since then, though he continues to battle depression.

Kenny has expressed mixed feelings about Everton’s role in his decline. While he remains a lifelong fan and would still likely choose the club if given the chance again, he is critical of what he describes as a failure by the club’s leadership at the time to protect and support him. He contrasted this with his impressions of Manchester United under Alex Ferguson, whose reputation for strict discipline he respected and felt he might have thrived under.

Despite his difficult past, Kenny says he is now managing his mental health more effectively and enjoying periods of stability. He has re-engaged with Everton as a supporter, though he is critical of the club’s failure to nurture its former players. His story is detailed in a forthcoming book, “The Goodison Gazza,” which portrays the challenges faced by footballers during an era when drinking and drug use were common in the sport.

Kenny’s candid reflections underscore ongoing conversations about player welfare, support systems within professional football, and the long-term impact of addiction on athletes’ lives beyond their careers.