Danny Kedwell’s best footballing years might be behind him – but last weekend he showed those predatory instincts remain.
Kedwell, now 40, was pushed forward late on for Chatham from his now customary midfield role and within moments he had netted what turned out to be the winner at Whitehawk.
More: Why Dover’s captain joined Chats
Chatham’s goal gif on social media showed assistant player-manager Kedwell holding onto a crutch – which the former AFC Wimbledon and Gillingham striker chuckled about.
“It felt good!” he said, following the 2-1 win. “It was nice because it was the winner, but I am not going to lie, it is hard still playing, aged 40 and overweight!
“At the beginning of the season they said I needed to do some celebration for a picture, everyone had to do one, I was like ‘oh for God’s sake’ and as I looked around there was a crutch on the floor and I said, ‘give me that!’ It’s brilliant, but a bit embarrassing for the other teams, though, that I’m scoring!
“Kev (Hake, manager) put me up front for that five-minute spell when it was 1-1 and that is when I got my goal. Jamie [Yila] did well down the wing, he crossed in and it ended up being an open goal. It was a good feeling to score but then I went straight back into midfield.”
Kedwell missed Tuesday’s 4-2 defeat at Wingate & Finchley because of illness – a bug was doing the rounds at the club this week. He’s hoping to be back for the big home match against Margate this Saturday.
He lasted the full match against Whitehawk in a win that saw Chats bounce back from a rare home loss, beaten 3-2 by Hashtag United last midweek. Kedwell had come back into the side the week before against Canvey Island, having spent the best part of two months without playing.
He jokes about not wanting to play any more but clearly still gets a buzz from it.
“I have retired in my head about four times,” Kedwell said.
“I took myself off against Canvey when we were 5-1 up as I needed to save my legs a bit.
“I am not feeling like I can’t get around the pitch, but I have only started trying to get fit a couple of weeks ago and so it is going to take a few more weeks to get my weight down. It is hard.
“As assistant manager I am not expecting to play. I had just been enjoying my life, not worrying about what I eat or drink and just doing the coaching but then Kev says, ‘come on Keds, we need you’.
“I haven’t had time to try and get fit and lose weight, I have been straight back in. He needed me there in midfield and I said, ‘mate, I haven’t done anything for two months!’.
“I am training now two days a week and in between going on runs and stuff and watching what I’m eating, but it’s hard now. When I was younger I’d shift the weight in two weeks but now I’m going on the scales and nothing is coming off!
“I am not in the mindset of not bothering, or thinking this is too much, I do want to get fit for myself if anything and I still have that buzz of winning.”
Back in the summer Kedwell ended up playing on opposite teams to his son, Harvey. The 18-year-old has come through the academy at Charlton and is now playing on loan at National League Dagenham.
Kedwell snr was smashing goals in for Herne Bay when Harvey was born.
He said: “It is mad, it’s crazy that he is playing and I am still playing now. I never thought I would keep going to 40, but I am 41 this year so it might be even more.
“I said to Kev that he needs to step down and he asked why. All the time he is manager he is going to keep picking me to play – if he is here for another eight years I’ll be playing at 48!”
Kedwell joined Chatham in December 2021 – the club he played at as a junior – following a spell as manager of Cray Wanderers. He’s had offers elsewhere since but as No.2 to Hake he’s enjoying the ride he’s on.
He said: “A couple of clubs have come in for me to be manager there but I am just happy. It is on my doorstep and Kev is brilliant with me. We have a good bond together and it’s a good combination. We’ve had back-to-back promotions and now sit where we are.”
More than 2,000 people watched Chats’ game with Hashtag and another big crowd is expected when Mark Stimson brings his struggling Gate side to the Bauvill Stadium.
Kedwell said: “The crowds are going up and up, it was a great atmosphere against Hashtag.
“Kev has done an unbelievable job and what is going on there, especially the last two years, back-to-back promotions and sitting second in this league. He has got it all spot on at the moment.”
Isthmian League Premier Division table
Chatham remain some way off leaders Hornchurch ahead of this weekend’s game and the first priority will be to secure a play-off spot while hoping the Essex side slip up.
They were four goals down in a disappointing midweek match at Wingate & Finchley before Yila’s penalty and a goal for Kareem Isiaka reduced the deficit. Chats remain second in the table but are nine points off the leaders and have played two games more.
The Chats assistant boss said: “It is in their hands, it is theirs to lose, the same as last year with Ramsgate and we just worried about ourselves. We ended up winning the league by seven points, so it is still possible, we just have to win as many games as we can, pick up points and see where we are at the end of it. But we just concentrate on us and finishing as high as we can.”
Margate have lost their last four games, conceding four in each of their last three matches. Former Gills boss Stimson is still searching for his first win since taking charge two months ago.
*Chatham have been fined £400 for their part in a ‘mass confrontation’ towards the end of the FA Trophy game against Cray Valley on October 28. The FA fined Cray £300.
