Football: DON'T DO IT MY WAY; Washed-up Kenny warns Rooney.Byline: CLAIRE COLLINSEVERTON'S last teenage sensation has warned wonderkid Wayne Rooney Wayne Mark Rooney (born 24 October 1985 in Liverpool) is an English footballer who currently plays for the English Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team. : "Don't blow it like I did." Reformed drug addict Any individual who habitually uses any narcotic drug so as to endanger the public morals, health, safety, or welfare, or who is so drawn to the use of such narcotic drugs as to have lost the power of self-control with reference to his or her drug use. Billy Kenny Billy Kenny (born 19 September 1973 in Liverpool, England) is a former professional footballer. Kenny was a teen sensation when made his debut with Everton F.C. aged 19 in the 1992–93 season. wasted his dazzling talent on booze and drugs and now he wants to tell 17-year-old Rooney not to make the same mistakes. The unemployed father of one said: "Wayne needs to watch out for the vices that could ruin him. "The wads of cash and new-found fame will bring temptations that he must be strong enough to resist. "If he doesn't, he'll end up like me - a failure." Just like Rooney, Kenny came from a working class background to land a pounds 1,000-a-week contract as a fresh-faced 18-year-old with his boyhood club, Everton. But things went horribly wrong when a six month injury lay-off left him with too much time and money on his hands. Speaking exclusively to The SP, Kenny, 29, revealed how he used to: -BINGE drink to forget his boredom. -TRAIN while high on cocaine. -IGNORE warnings that his career was going down the drain. Kenny's dreams came true in 1991 when Howard Kendall Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton F.C., a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s. signed him on pro forms at 18 and he soon confirmed his billing as Britain's brightest young star. But the teenager was devastated dev·as·tate tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates 1. To lay waste; destroy. 2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark. when he developed shin splints Shin Splints Definition Shin splints refer to the sharp pains that occur down the front of the lower leg. They are a common complaint, particularly among runners and other athletes. and required a series of operations. "I was very angry and depressed. It was my first professional season and I was out though injury,'' said Kenny. "I was bored and my mates asked me to go along with them for a few nights out. "I hadn't got drunk or even been on a proper night out before - I just trained and trained every day. "But when I couldn't train I was lost - I didn't know what to do with myself. I was lost, frustrated frus·trate tr.v. frus·trat·ed, frus·trat·ing, frus·trates 1. a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart: and bored. "Going out became a release - we used to go to clubs at the weekend and the lads would always have a line of coke. "Eventually I tried some, liked it and was hooked. "I also drank ten pints and got totally wrecked." Kenny began drinking every night with a group of pals who latched to him because of his new-found wealth. Everton were paying him pounds 1,000-a-week and he blew the lot on cocaine and booze. He said: "I'd be out until 5am, sleep for a couple of hours and then get a taxi to the training ground still off my head. "I was taking coke everywhere and anywhere I could ... in pubs, clubs and even in my bedroom at home." Eventually the binges caught up with him and when Kenny recovered from his injury he was a wreck on the training pitch. He said: "I couldn't see the ball properly, never mind kick it straight. "I was in no fit state for training and everyone knew what was going on. I'd lost all interest in football and my life revolved around drugs.'' Kenny was unable to keep his new lifestyle a secret and eventually he was caught out by Goodison chiefs and fined two weeks' wages. "My parents were devastated,'' confessed Kenny. "I'd always tried to hide it from them and I didn't realise how they were suffering.'' When manager Howard Kendall was replaced by Mike Walker, Kenny was given his marching orders. "When Mike Walker told me the news I was completely numb numb (num) anesthetic (1). numb adj. 1. Being unable or only partially able to feel sensation or pain; deadened or anesthetized. 2. . I couldn't believe what they were saying and I didn't know where to turn. "Instead of giving me the help I needed he shut the door in my face." Kenny has now been clean for four years and lives with girlfriend Lindsay Maguire, 29, and their little girl Peggy, two. He said: "If I'd had Peggy when I was playing I might never have gone wrong. "But the fact is that I should have been playing in the same side as Wayne Rooney now - not warning him against making the same mistakes as me. "I really want him to be a star and to do the business for Everton because I still support the club. "Hopefully Wayne will be properly looked after and he won't go down the same road as me. "The club need to wrap him up in cotton wool until he understands what it's like and Wayne needs to keep his feet on the ground and stay close to his family. "He won't understand yet but there are bad people are out there waiting to take advantage of him.'' CAPTION(S): PARKLIFE: Former Everton teen sensation Billy Kenny reflects on what might have been outside Goodison Park; BILLY THE KID: As a fresh-faced teenager |
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