Kenny Black facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kenneth George Black | ||
| Date of birth | 29 November 1963 | ||
| Place of birth | Stenhousemuir, Scotland | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1981–1983 | Rangers | 24 | (1) |
| 1983–1984 | Motherwell | 17 | (0) |
| 1984–1989 | Heart of Midlothian | 178 | (15) |
| 1989–1991 | Portsmouth | 62 | (3) |
| 1991–1999 | Airdrieonians | 256 | (20) |
| 1999–2001 | Raith Rovers | 55 | (3) |
| 2002–2004 | Airdrie United | 5 | (0) |
| Total | 597 | (42) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2006–2010 | Airdrie United | ||
| 2014 | Motherwell (caretaker) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Kenneth George Black (born 29 November 1963) is a Scottish football manager and former player. He spent most of his career playing for Heart of Midlothian and Airdrieonians.
Contents
Kenny Black's Playing Career
Starting Out in Football
Kenny Black began his football journey in 1980 with Rangers. He played as a left-sided defender or midfielder. To gain more experience, he was sent to a junior team called Linlithgow Rose.
In 1983, while still a teenager, he left Rangers. He then joined Motherwell. A year later, in 1984, he moved to Heart of Midlothian for £30,000.
Big Games and Moves
Black was part of the Heart of Midlothian team, also known as the Maroons. In the 1985–86 season, they almost won two major trophies. They nearly won both the Scottish Premier Division and the Scottish Cup.
In 1989, he moved to England. Portsmouth paid £350,000 to sign him.
Winning with Airdrieonians
In 1991, Kenny Black joined Airdrieonians. He was reunited with his former coach, Alex MacDonald. With the Diamonds, he won his first senior medal.
They won the Scottish Challenge Cup in the 1994–95 season. They beat Dundee in the final. That same season, he also played in the Scottish Cup final. His team lost, so he earned a second runner-up medal for that competition.
Later Playing Years
In 1999, Black moved to Raith Rovers. By this time, he was a very experienced player. He played for Raith Rovers for two more seasons before ending his playing career.
Kenny Black's Coaching Career
Starting as an Assistant Coach
After his playing days, Kenny Black became a coach. In 2001, he was named joint assistant-manager at Kirkcaldy (Raith Rovers). He left in early 2002 due to changes in management.
Later in 2002, he found a new role. He became assistant to Sandy Stewart at Airdrie United. This club was a new version of his old team, Airdrieonians.
Coaching at Leicester and Managing Airdrie
In 2004, Black left Airdrie United to join Leicester City. He worked as a coach under Craig Levein. His time at Leicester ended in 2006 when Levein was no longer manager.
Later that year, he returned to Airdrie. This time, he became the manager of Airdrie United.
Managerial Achievements
As manager, Black led Airdrie United to win the 2008–09 Scottish Challenge Cup. He also guided the team through several play-off games. These games were for promotion from the Second Division to the First Division.
In June 2010, Black left Airdrie United. He then became an assistant coach for the Scotland national team.
Working with Stuart McCall
On 19 January 2011, Black was appointed assistant manager at Motherwell. He worked alongside manager Stuart McCall. Together, they helped Motherwell finish high in the league. They finished third in 2011–12 and second in both 2012–13 and 2013–14.
In November 2014, Black became the caretaker manager for Motherwell. He was in charge for five matches. He stayed on as assistant when a new manager was appointed, but left in February 2015.
In March 2015, Black joined Stuart McCall again. He became assistant manager at Rangers. They left two months later when the club did not get promoted.
On 21 June 2016, Kenny Black was confirmed as assistant manager at Bradford City. He worked with Stuart McCall in the English League Division One. He left in February 2018. In February 2020, he returned to Bradford City for a second time as assistant to McCall.
Honours
Airdrieonians
- Scottish Challenge Cup: 1994–95
See also
- List of footballers in Scotland by number of league appearances (500+)
