Oliver James Kensdale (born 24 April 2000) is an English footballer who plays as a centre-back or central midfielder for Southend United.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Oliver James Kensdale[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (2000-04-20) 20 April 2000 (age 22)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Colchester, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[3] | ||
| Position(s) |
Centre-back Central midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Southend United | ||
| Number | 6 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2008–2017 | Colchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2021 | Colchester United | 3 | (0) |
| 2017 | → Maldon & Tiptree (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2018 | → Maldon & Tiptree (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2018 | → Maldon & Tiptree (loan) | 6 | (2) |
| 2019 | → Bath City (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2020 | → Braintree Town (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2021 | Concord Rangers | 14 | (0) |
| 2021– | Southend United | 32 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:59, 2 November 2022 (UTC) | |||
Kensdale joined Colchester United's Development Centre at the age of seven and progressed to the club's Academy two years later. He was taken on as a scholar in 2016 and had his first experience of men's football on loan at Maldon & Tiptree in late 2017. He rejoined the club on loan in March 2018 and then early in the 2018–19 season prior to making his first-team debut for Colchester in November 2018. He joined Bath City on loan in October 2019, and Braintree Town on loan in October 2020.
Born in Colchester,[2] Kensdale joined the Development Centre at hometown club Colchester United aged seven. He enrolled in the club's Academy two years later. A former pupil at Colchester's St Benedict's Catholic College,[4] he signed on as a scholar at the club in July 2016.[5][6]
Kensdale joined Isthmian League North Division side Maldon & Tiptree for his first experience of men's football.[4] He made his club debut on 30 September 2017 in the Jammers' 4–2 win against Tilbury.[7] He made four league appearances and two appearances in the FA Trophy for the club. He played a further three games for the club on loan in March 2018.[8]
At the end of his scholarship, Kensdale was offered a professional contract with Colchester in May 2018.[9]
Kensdale rejoined Maldon & Tiptree in a third loan spell early in the 2018–19 season.[10] He scored his first goal in senior football in his final appearance for the Jammers, a 3–2 win at Dereham Town on 10 November, scoring twice.[11]
On 13 November, Kensdale made his first-team debut in Colchester's EFL Trophy game against Cambridge United.[12] He then started in Colchester's League Two 1–1 draw with Exeter City at the Colchester Community Stadium on 24 November.[13]
After becoming the first Colchester United player born after 2000, Kensdale signed his first professional contract on 24 December 2018, committing until summer 2021.[14]
On 11 October 2019, Kensdale joined National League South side Bath City in a month-long loan deal.[15] He made his debut on 12 October 2019 in Bath's 1–1 home draw with Maidstone United.[3]
In October 2020, Kensdale joined National League South side Braintree Town, where he made his debut in their 1–0 defeat at Chippenham Town.[16]
Colchester announced that Kensdale was one of seven under-23 players who had their contract terminated by mutual consent on 1 February 2021.[17]
On 14 February 2021, Kensdale joined National League South side Concord Rangers.[18]
On 31 December 2021, Kensdale joined National League side Southend United for an undisclosed fee.[19]
Kensdale operates centrally as either a centre-back or central midfielder. Prior to his scholarship, he refined himself into a commanding centre-back and as a leader of the defensive line.[5]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Colchester United | 2017–18[20] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018–19[21] | League Two | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2019–20[22] | League Two | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2020–21[23] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| Maldon & Tiptree (loan) | 2017–18[8] | Isthmian League North Division | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 2[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2018–19[10] | Isthmian League North Division | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | ||
| Total | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | – | 2 | 0 | 16 | 2 | |||
| Bath City (loan) | 2019–20[3] | National League South | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| Braintree Town (loan) | 2020–21[3] | National League South | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Concord Rangers | 2020–21[3] | National League South | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2021–22[3] | National League South | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | ||
| Total | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| Southend United | 2021–22[3] | National League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career total | 37 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 45 | 2 | ||
Southend United F.C. – current squad | |
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