Kennedy to quit as Jersey manager

Kennedy is unbeaten against fellow island opposition

Jersey manager Dave Kennedy is to step down from his position because of work and family commitments.

Kennedy, 35, will leave his role at the end of the season after May's Muratti in Guernsey and will not take Jersey to the Island Games in Aland.

Kennedy's assistant, St Paul's manager Craig Culkin, will take charge of the Jersey team at the Island Games.

The Jersey Football Association will not start looking for a replacement for Kennedy until the summer.

Kennedy was appointed just under two years ago following the sacking of Peter Vincenti. Since then he has guided Jersey to two Muratti wins over Guernsey and led Jersey to fifth place at the 2007 Island Games in Rhodes.

A former professional with Scottish sides Alloa Athletic, Dunfermline Athletic and Livingston, he was the youngest person ever appointed Jersey boss, aged 33.

"It's been fabulous, but with an added games programme comes more work and what was happening was the administration side of it was starting to impact on my working day so as a result I came to the conclusion I would have to step down," Kennedy told BBC Jersey.

Kennedy is Jersey's Community Sports Development Officer and has seen his role grow in the two years since he took on the island job.

From working with 200 youngsters each week he now manages a department which coaches 1,000 young people every week.

Kennedy and his wife Kelly also have a baby daughter who was born just after last year's Muratti and he felt he had less and less time to dedicate to his home life.

He will stay on in his role as assistant manager to Jersey's under-18s boss Dave Walsh, a role which he first took up with the JFA back in 2005.

"I've been working with Dave for the past four years and I've thoroughly enjoyed it. I really enjoy working with under-18s and that's been agreed so I'll still be part of the island set up which I'm delighted about," said Kennedy.