DANNY’S DOIN’ IT OVER AGAIN!
DANNY KEDWELL has quite simply been there, done that in the professional game – now he’s ready to live it all over again.
The veteran frontman achieved Non-League legendary status after a stellar career which yielded over 600 senior appearances and almost half as many goals.
Now as a coach, his path is beginning to take a similar trajectory and is currently eyeing an EIGHTH
of his trophy-laden career.
But while the 40-year-old can apply the brakes somewhat and reflect on a proud playing career, he’s also ready to board the rollercoaster ride all over again – this time as a role model to his young protege Harvey.
Kedwell Jnr, 19, signed his first professional contract with Charlton Athletic back in the summer and is enjoying his first taste of senior football on loan at National League side Dagenham & Redbridge, where he plays under his Dad’s former Gillingham teammate Ben Strevens.
But while Junior kickstarts his fledgling career at Victoria Road, 26 miles away across the Kent border, Dad Danny is adding a new string his bow.
As player/assistant boss to chief Kevin Hake, Kedwell has helped lead the Chats to backto-back promotions from Step 5 and now sit in the top two of the Isthmian Premier and on the brink of National League South.
Kedwell is enjoying his football as much as ever but admits his focus quite often wanders elsewhere.
“It’s really hard at the minute,” the former AFC Wimbledon and Ebbsfleet United front man told The NLP.
“I’d watch Harvey every game, right from when I coached him at the age of seven, so I find it difficult not being able to go to his games now he’s at Dagenham and playing the same time as me.
“Signing his first professional contract at Charlton was my proudest moment so far. He’s so passionate about football and it was nice to see him come away with something that he had worked so hard for since he was eight years old.
“We wanted to push him out into men’s football as early as possible and Dagenham is a great loan for him. Sometimes your first loan can be a terror but this one has been really good for him. He’s going down the right pathway and learning men’s football – he’s really enjoying it.
Influence
“The hardest thing though is not being able to watch his games. On a match day, I always like to see if he’s starting and how he’s getting on, so when a player goes down injured or something, I go and get my bottle of water and then take a sneaky look at my phone. I just can’t help it.”
At 40, Kedwell spends more time in the dugout than out on the pitch these days, but his influence at the Bauvill Stadium is still immeasurable.
In the 22 games he has played, the Chats have won all 22, while his presence has contributed to a storming debut season at Step 3 where the Chats lie second in the Isthmian Premier Division – the highest league placing in the club’s 141-year history.
“I’ve been doing a bit of both, coaching the boys and helping them out when needed, so It’s really enjoyable.
“Obviously with back-toback promotions and sitting where we are in the league now, it’s been a good three years.
“Winning back-to-back promotions and sitting where we are in the league now, it’s fair to say it’s been a good three years,” said Kedwell, who joined the Chats after his first managerial role at Cray Wanderers was ended in December 2021.
“Success has come very quickly for the club. The fanbase has gone right up and the club got everything in place to go to the next level.
“We’ve got 10 league games left. It’s in Hornchurch’s hands to win it, we’ve just got to keep doing what we are doing, see where we finish and then see how the play-offs pan out.”
So, what would make him prouder, a third promotion with Chatham or seeing Harvey push on at Charlton?
“It has to be seeing Harv make his league debut,” he said after a very slight hesitation. “It’s going well on both fronts right now, but nothing would make me prouder than to see him get the chance he so deserves.”