Kevin Kilbane facts for kids
.jpg)
Kilbane playing in Jody Craddock's testimonial match, 2014
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kevin Daniel Kilbane | ||
| Date of birth | 1 February 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Preston, England | ||
| Height | 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) | ||
| Playing position | Left winger, full-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Preston North End | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1995–1997 | Preston North End | 48 | (3) |
| 1997–1999 | West Bromwich Albion | 106 | (15) |
| 1999–2003 | Sunderland | 113 | (8) |
| 2003–2006 | Everton | 104 | (4) |
| 2006–2009 | Wigan Athletic | 76 | (2) |
| 2009–2012 | Hull City | 51 | (2) |
| 2011 | → Huddersfield Town (loan) | 24 | (2) |
| 2011 | → Derby County (loan) | 9 | (1) |
| 2012 | Coventry City | 9 | (0) |
| Total | 540 | (37) | |
| National team | |||
| 1996–1997 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 11 | (1) |
| 1997–2011 | Republic of Ireland | 110 | (8) |
|
|||
Kevin Daniel Kilbane (born 1 February 1977) is a former professional footballer. He played as a left winger or full back. Even though he was born in England, Kilbane played for the Republic of Ireland national team. He earned 110 caps, which means he played 110 games for his country. This makes him one of the most capped Irish players ever!
Kilbane played for many different English clubs during his career. Some of these include famous teams like Everton, West Bromwich Albion, and Sunderland. He also played for Wigan Athletic, Huddersfield Town, Derby County, and Coventry City.
After his football career, Kevin Kilbane started working in the media. He is now a football expert and commentator. You can hear him on TV and radio shows, sharing his knowledge about the game. He has even covered big events like the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Contents
Kevin Kilbane's Club Journey
Starting Out at Preston
Kevin Kilbane was born in Preston, England. He began his football journey at his hometown club, Preston North End. He worked his way up through their youth teams. Soon, his great performances caught the eye of other clubs.
In 1997, he moved to West Bromwich Albion. This transfer cost £1 million, which was a record for Albion at the time!
Time at Sunderland
In December 1999, Kilbane joined Sunderland for £2.5 million. He made an instant impact in his first game. Coming on as a substitute, he set up a goal for Kevin Phillips to win the match.
However, the team's performance then dropped. Fans became frustrated, and Kilbane sometimes faced their anger. Sunderland was eventually relegated from the Premiership.
Playing for Everton
On the final day of the transfer window in 2003, Kilbane moved to Everton. He joined for just under £1 million. At Everton, fans really liked his hard work and dedication.
He was a very flexible player, meaning he could play in many different positions. He played in midfield, at left back, or even as a forward. His time at Everton helped him become a stronger player. In his last game for Everton in 2006, he was sent off.
Moving to Wigan Athletic
On 31 August 2006, Kilbane signed a three-year deal with Wigan Athletic. The fee was around £2 million. He scored his first goal for Wigan in April 2007 with a powerful header. This was his first club goal in over two years!
He scored again later that season. In his second season, he often played as a left back. Fans even voted him their Player of the Season.
Adventures at Hull City
In January 2009, Kilbane joined Hull City for about £500,000. He signed a two-and-a-half-year contract. He scored his first goal for Hull City in April 2010.
Loan to Huddersfield Town
On 1 January 2011, Kilbane joined Huddersfield Town on loan. He helped the team achieve an amazing club record. They went 26 league games without losing!
Loan to Derby County
Later in 2011, Kilbane went on loan to Derby County. He played 10 games for them and scored one goal. His loan ended early because of a back injury.
Final Club: Coventry City
On 2 July 2012, Kilbane joined Coventry City. In his very first game, he scored a winning goal from a penalty kick. He was also named captain for the season.
Kevin Kilbane played his last professional game in October 2012. He officially announced his retirement from football in December of that year.
International Career for Ireland
Even though he was eligible to play for England, Kevin Kilbane always wanted to represent Ireland. Both of his parents are Irish, so he was an Irish citizen from birth. He made his first international appearance for Ireland in September 1997.
He was part of the squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea. The team did very well, reaching the knockout stage. They lost to Spain in a penalty shootout. Kilbane took a penalty in that shootout.
Kilbane scored his first international goal in almost four years in October 2006. He scored another important goal in September 2010. This was the first competitive goal for Ireland at the new Aviva Stadium.
In November 2009, Kilbane played his 100th game for Ireland. This is a huge achievement for any footballer! He also set a record for playing 66 consecutive competitive international games. This amazing run ended because of a back operation. He never played for Ireland again after that.
Life After Football: Media Career
After retiring from playing, Kevin Kilbane studied at Staffordshire University. He earned a degree in Professional Sports Writing and Broadcasting. This helped him start a new career in the media.
He became a football expert and commentator for various TV and radio channels. He has worked for BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Match of the Day, and Football Focus. He also works for Irish channels like Virgin Media Television (Ireland) and Newstalk Radio. He even covered the FIFA World Cup 2014 and UEFA Euro 2020 as a commentator.
In 2020, Kilbane took part in the TV show Dancing on Ice. He competed with professional skater Brianne Delcourt.
Kevin Kilbane is also a supporter of the Down's Syndrome Association. He cares about helping people with Down's Syndrome.
Personal Life
Kevin Kilbane met professional figure skater Brianne Delcourt when they were partners on Dancing on Ice. They got engaged in February 2020 and married in September 2020. They have two daughters together. Kevin is also a stepfather to Brianne's daughter from a previous relationship. He also has two daughters from his first marriage.
Honours
Preston North End
- Football League Third Division: 1995–96
Individual
- FAI Senior International Player of the Year: 2004
See also
In Spanish: Kevin Kilbane para niños
- List of Republic of Ireland international footballers born outside the Republic of Ireland
- List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
