Kenny Cunningham
| Date of birth | 28 June 1971 |
| Place of birth | Dublin |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Weight | 74 kg |
| Height | 1.83 m |
| Position | Defender |
One of Ireland's unsung heroes, although Kenny has a relatively modest record at club level, Mick McCarthy was well aware of his reliable capabilities having been his manager at Millwall for two years.
He joined the Lions from Tolka Rovers in 1989, making over 150 appearances before making his £1.3million move across London to Wimbledon in November 1994.
The Dons captain became a regular at right back, but was later more often seen at centre back.
Named Wimbledon's Player of the Year for the second time in three seasons despite missing much of the 2001-02 term with a groin injury, he provided cover for such as Gary Breen and Steve Staunton in the 2002 World Cup finals.
Kenny joined Sunderland in July 2006 with a one-year contract.
Club history
| Team | Joined | Left | Loan / Trialist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tolka Rovers | 01 Jul 1988 | 18 Sep 1989 | |
| Millwall | 18 Sep 1989 | 09 Nov 1994 | |
| Wimbledon | 09 Nov 1994 | 18 Jul 2002 | |
| Birmingham City | 18 Jul 2002 | 30 Jun 2006 | |
| Sunderland | 19 Jul 2006 | 30 Jun 2007 |
Club stats
| Season | Team | Competition | Apps | Subs | Goals | Y | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 | Millwall | League Cup | 2 | ||||
| 1993-94 | Millwall | League Division 1 Play-Offs | 2 | ||||
| 1994-95 | Wimbledon | FA Cup | 4 | ||||
| 1994-95 | Wimbledon | Premier League | 28 |
1
|
|||
| 1995-96 | Wimbledon | FA Cup | 8 | ||||
| 1995-96 | Wimbledon | League Cup | 2 | ||||
| 1995-96 | Wimbledon | Premier League | 32 | 1 |
6
|
||
| 1996-97 | Wimbledon | FA Cup | 7 | ||||
| 1996-97 | Wimbledon | League Cup | 2 | ||||
| 1996-97 | Wimbledon | Premier League | 36 |
6
|
|||
| 1997-98 | Wimbledon | FA Cup | 3 | ||||
| 1997-98 | Wimbledon | League Cup | 3 | ||||
| 1997-98 | Wimbledon | Premier League | 32 |
2
|
|||
| 1998-99 | Wimbledon | FA Cup | 2 | ||||
| 1998-99 | Wimbledon | League Cup | 6 | 1 |
1
|
||
| 1998-99 | Wimbledon | Premier League | 35 |
3
|
|||
| 1999-00 | Wimbledon | FA Cup | 2 | ||||
| 1999-00 | Wimbledon | League Cup | 4 | ||||
| 1999-00 | Wimbledon | Premier League | 37 |
1
|
|||
| 2000-01 | Wimbledon | FA Cup | 4 | 1 |
1
|
||
| 2000-01 | Wimbledon | League Division 1 | 15 | ||||
| 2001-02 | Wimbledon | FA Cup | 2 | ||||
| 2001-02 | Wimbledon | League Division 1 | 34 |
4
|
|||
| 2002-03 | Birmingham City | League Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2002-03 | Birmingham City | Premier League | 31 |
1
|
|||
| 2003-04 | Birmingham City | FA Cup | 4 |
1
|
|||
| 2003-04 | Birmingham City | League Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2003-04 | Birmingham City | Premier League | 36 |
2
|
1
|
||
| 2004-05 | Birmingham City | FA Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2004-05 | Birmingham City | League Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2004-05 | Birmingham City | Premier League | 36 |
3
|
|||
| 2005-06 | Birmingham City | FA Cup | 2 | ||||
| 2005-06 | Birmingham City | Premier League | 31 |
5
|
1
|
||
| 2006-07 | Sunderland | League Championship | 11 | ||||
| 2006-07 | Sunderland | League Cup | 1 |
1
|
Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
Club matches
| Date | Match | Result | Competition | Round | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Sep 1992 | Arsenal v Millwall | D | 1-1 | League Cup | 2nd round 1st leg |
| 07 Oct 1992 | Millwall v Arsenal | D |
1-1 Agg: 2-2 (1-3) |
League Cup | 2nd round 2nd leg |
| 15 May 1994 | Derby County v Millwall | L | 2-0 | League Division 1 Play-Offs | Semi-final 1st leg |
| 18 May 1994 | Millwall v Derby County | L |
1-3 Agg: 1-5 |
League Division 1 Play-Offs | Semi-final 2nd leg |
Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
International stats
| Season | Team | Competition | Apps | Subs | Goals | Y | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990-91 | Republic of Ireland | UEFA Under-21 | 3 | ||||
| 1991-92 | Republic of Ireland | B International | 1 | ||||
| 1991-92 | Republic of Ireland | UEFA Under-21 | 1 |
||||
| 1994-95 | Republic of Ireland | B International | 1 | ||||
| 1995-96 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 3 | 1 |
|||
| 1995-96 | Republic of Ireland | US Cup | 1 | ||||
| 1996-97 | Republic of Ireland | FIFA World Cup | 2 | 1 |
|||
| 1996-97 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 1 | ||||
| 1997-98 | Republic of Ireland | FIFA World Cup | 5 | ||||
| 1997-98 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 1 | ||||
| 1998-99 | Republic of Ireland | Charity Omagh Fund | 1 | ||||
| 1998-99 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 2 | ||||
| 1998-99 | Republic of Ireland | UEFA European Championship | 4 | ||||
| 1999-00 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 2 | ||||
| 1999-00 | Republic of Ireland | UEFA European Championship | 6 | ||||
| 2000-01 | Republic of Ireland | FIFA World Cup | 2 | ||||
| 2001-02 | Republic of Ireland | FIFA World Cup | 3 |
||||
| 2001-02 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 3 | 1 |
|||
| 2002-03 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 2 | ||||
| 2002-03 | Republic of Ireland | UEFA European Championship | 6 |
1
|
|||
| 2003-04 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 7 | ||||
| 2003-04 | Republic of Ireland | UEFA European Championship | 1 |
1
|
|||
| 2003-04 | Republic of Ireland | Unity Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2004-05 | Republic of Ireland | FIFA World Cup | 7 |
1
|
|||
| 2004-05 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 3 | 1 |
|||
| 2005-06 | Republic of Ireland | FIFA World Cup | 3 | ||||
| 2005-06 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 1 |
Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
International matches
| Date | Match | Result | Competition | Round | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Oct 1990 | Republic of Ireland v Turkey | W | 3-2 | UEFA U21 | Group |
| 13 Nov 1990 | Republic of Ireland v England | L | 0-3 | UEFA Under-21 | Group |
| 26 Mar 1991 | England v Republic of Ireland | L | 3-0 | UEFA Under-21 | Group |
| 15 Oct 1991 | Poland v Republic of Ireland | L | 2-0 | UEFA U21 | Group |
| 12 Feb 1992 | Republic of Ireland v Denmark | W | 2-0 | B International | |
| 13 Dec 1994 | England v Republic of Ireland | L | 2-0 | B International | |
| 24 Apr 1996 | Czech Republic v Republic of Ireland | L | 2-0 | International Friendly | |
| 29 May 1996 | Republic of Ireland v Portugal | L | 0-1 | International Friendly | |
| 02 Jun 1996 | Republic of Ireland v Croatia | D | 2-2 | International Friendly | |
| 04 Jun 1996 | Netherlands v Republic of Ireland | L | 3-1 | International Friendly | |
| 09 Jun 1996 | USA v Republic of Ireland | L | 2-1 | US Cup | |
| 15 Jun 1996 | Republic of Ireland v Bolivia | W | 3-0 | US CUP | |
| 10 Nov 1996 | Republic of Ireland v Iceland | D | 0-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 8 |
| 11 Feb 1997 | Wales v Republic of Ireland | D | 0-0 | International Friendly | |
| 30 Apr 1997 | Romania v Republic of Ireland | L | 1-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 8 |
| 21 May 1997 | Republic of Ireland v Liechtenstein | W | 5-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 8 |
| 20 Aug 1997 | Republic of Ireland v Lithuania | D | 0-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 8 |
| 06 Sep 1997 | Iceland v Republic of Ireland | W | 2-4 | FIFA World Cup | Group 8 |
| 10 Sep 1997 | Lithuania v Republic of Ireland | W | 1-2 | FIFA World Cup | Group 8 |
| 29 Oct 1997 | Republic of Ireland v Belgium | D | 1-1 | FIFA World Cup | 1st leg play-off |
| 15 Nov 1997 | Belgium v Republic of Ireland | L | 2-1 | FIFA World Cup | 2nd leg play-off |
| 25 Mar 1998 | Czech Republic v Republic of Ireland | L | 2-1 | International Friendly | |
| 06 Sep 1998 | Republic of Ireland v Croatia | W | 2-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 8 |
| 14 Oct 1998 | Republic of Ireland v Malta | W | 5-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 8 |
| 18 Nov 1998 | Yugoslavia v Republic of Ireland | L | 1-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 8 |
| 10 Feb 1999 | Republic of Ireland v Paraguay | W | 2-0 | International Friendly | |
| 28 Apr 1999 | Republic of Ireland v Sweden | W | 2-0 | International Friendly | |
| 29 May 1999 | Republic of Ireland v Northern Ireland | L | 0-1 | Charity Omagh Fund | |
| 09 Jun 1999 | Republic of Ireland v North Macedonia | W | 1-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 8 |
| 01 Sep 1999 | Republic of Ireland v Yugoslavia | W | 2-1 | UEFA European Championship | Group 8 |
| 04 Sep 1999 | Croatia v Republic of Ireland | L | 1-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 8 |
| 08 Sep 1999 | Malta v Republic of Ireland | W | 2-3 | UEFA European Championship | Group 8 |
| 09 Oct 1999 | North Macedonia v Republic of Ireland | D | 1-1 | UEFA European Championship | Group 8 |
| 13 Nov 1999 | Republic of Ireland v Turkey | D | 1-1 | UEFA European Championship | Play-off 1st leg |
| 17 Nov 1999 | Turkey v Republic of Ireland | D | 0-0 | UEFA European Championship | Play-off 2nd leg |
| 23 Feb 2000 | Republic of Ireland v Czech Republic | W | 3-2 | International Friendly | |
| 26 Apr 2000 | Republic of Ireland v Greece | L | 0-1 | International Friendly | |
| 24 Mar 2001 | Cyprus v Republic of Ireland | W | 0-4 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 2 |
| 28 Mar 2001 | Andorra v Republic of Ireland | W | 0-3 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 2 |
| 10 Nov 2001 | Republic of Ireland v Iran | W | 2-0 | FIFA World Cup | Europe v Asia play-off |
| 13 Feb 2002 | Republic of Ireland v Russia | W | 2-0 | International Friendly | |
| 27 Mar 2002 | Republic of Ireland v Denmark | W | 3-0 | International Friendly | |
| 17 Apr 2002 | Republic of Ireland v USA | W | 2-1 | International Friendly | |
| 16 May 2002 | Republic of Ireland v Nigeria | L | 1-2 | International Friendly | |
| 05 Jun 2002 | Germany v Republic of Ireland | D | 1-1 | FIFA World Cup | Finals group E |
| 16 Jun 2002 | Spain v Republic of Ireland | L | 1-1 (2-3) | FIFA World Cup | Finals 2nd round |
| 21 Aug 2002 | Finland v Republic of Ireland | W | 0-3 | International Friendly | |
| 07 Sep 2002 | Russia v Republic of Ireland | L | 4-2 | UEFA European Championship | Group 10 |
| 16 Oct 2002 | Republic of Ireland v Switzerland | L | 1-2 | UEFA European Championship | Group 10 |
| 20 Nov 2002 | Greece v Republic of Ireland | D | 0-0 | International Friendly | |
| 29 Mar 2003 | Georgia v Republic of Ireland | W | 1-2 | UEFA European Championship | Group 10 |
| 02 Apr 2003 | Albania v Republic of Ireland | D | 0-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 10 |
| 07 Jun 2003 | Republic of Ireland v Albania | W | 2-1 | UEFA European Championship | Group 10 |
| 11 Jun 2003 | Republic of Ireland v Georgia | W | 2-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 10 |
| 19 Aug 2003 | Republic of Ireland v Australia | W | 2-1 | International Friendly | |
| 06 Sep 2003 | Republic of Ireland v Russia | D | 1-1 | UEFA European Championship | Group 10 |
| 18 Nov 2003 | Republic of Ireland v Canada | W | 3-0 | International Friendly | |
| 18 Feb 2004 | Republic of Ireland v Brazil | D | 0-0 | International Friendly | |
| 31 Mar 2004 | Republic of Ireland v Czech Republic | W | 2-1 | International Friendly | |
| 28 Apr 2004 | Poland v Republic of Ireland | D | 0-0 | International Friendly | |
| 27 May 2004 | Republic of Ireland v Romania | W | 1-0 | International Friendly | |
| 29 May 2004 | Nigeria v Republic of Ireland | L | 3-0 | Unity Cup | |
| 05 Jun 2004 | Netherlands v Republic of Ireland | W | 0-1 | International Friendly | |
| 18 Aug 2004 | Republic of Ireland v Bulgaria | D | 1-1 | International Friendly | |
| 04 Sep 2004 | Republic of Ireland v Cyprus | W | 3-0 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 4 |
| 08 Sep 2004 | Switzerland v Republic of Ireland | D | 1-1 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 4 |
| 09 Oct 2004 | France v Republic of Ireland | D | 0-0 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 4 |
| 13 Oct 2004 | Republic of Ireland v Faroe Islands | W | 2-0 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 4 |
| 16 Nov 2004 | Republic of Ireland v Croatia | W | 1-0 | International Friendly | |
| 09 Feb 2005 | Republic of Ireland v Portugal | W | 1-0 | International Friendly | |
| 26 Mar 2005 | Israel v Republic of Ireland | D | 1-1 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 4 |
| 29 Mar 2005 | Republic of Ireland v China PR | W | 1-0 | International Friendly | |
| 04 Jun 2005 | Republic of Ireland v Israel | D | 2-2 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 4 |
| 08 Jun 2005 | Faroe Islands v Republic of Ireland | W | 0-2 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 4 |
| 17 Aug 2005 | Republic of Ireland v Italy | L | 1-2 | International Friendly | |
| 07 Sep 2005 | Republic of Ireland v France | L | 0-1 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 4 |
| 08 Oct 2005 | Cyprus v Republic of Ireland | W | 0-1 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 4 |
| 12 Oct 2005 | Republic of Ireland v Switzerland | D | 0-0 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 4 |
Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.