Kendall v Kendall: The time father faced son in the Cymru Premier

Footballing father-and-son duos are quite rare indeed. To be talented enough to make it is one thing, but to play against your father in a game is another experience entirely.

The Cymru Premier has produced some magnificent stories throughout the years and the time when new Taffs Well boss Lee Kendall played against his father; former Spurs stopper Mark Kendall, is certainly one of those.

And it is a memory that the Wellmen boss remembers fondly when looking back at his time with Barry Town and the rest of his playing career.

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“The opportunity to play against my dad, he’s passed away now, unfortunately, but it was quite an interesting one,” he said.

“I was due to stay in a hotel in Cardiff during my loan spell at Barry but obviously Mum and Dad only lived up the road in Gwent, so I decided to stay at home.

“I came home from training one day on a Thursday afternoon, we were playing Cwmbran on Saturday and the phone rang, it was Tony Wilcox.

“They’d had an injury crisis and he was asking my dad whether he could sign on for them on Saturday, there was no transfer window back in those days.

“My dad asked him who they’re playing and of course he said Barry at first thinking he was joking, but in the end, he said, “I’ll do it”.

“He put the phone down and said “we’re playing against each other on Saturday”, and I said, “You are joking!”.

“They beat us 3-0, again that’s another goal I probably could have done better with and I didn’t go home for four days after that!

“I stayed at my grandparents, so I didn’t have the stick!

It was Kendall senior who came out on top in this matchup but in the completion of the season, it was Barry who had the success. 

Cwmbrân Town beat Barry 3-0 at Cwmbrân Stadium with Jody Jenkins, Nathan Cotterall and Phil James all on target. 

That defeat, however, would be one of only five defeats as Barry went on to win the Cymru Premier with Kendall Jr playing 14 times that season, finishing ahead of the Crows by three points. 

“It was a really good time, something that will always live with me,” added Kendall.

 “It’s probably not something that’s ever been done I’d have thought, two goalkeepers, father and son against each other, that’s probably a good quiz question!”

Kendall’s time at Barry town was littered with memories of European Cup games and individual displays but none will stick out quite like the game against his dad.

In the summer of Mark’s passing, Lee was gearing up to play Partizan Belgrade in the UEFA Champions League when he was set up with a challenge by his mum.

Mark had conceded eight goals to an AS Monaco side containing players such as George Weah, Emmanuel Petit and Youri Djorkaeff when playing for Swansea.

“I remember my mum saying to me, whatever you do, don’t let nine in, don’t you beat the family record,” recalled the former Rhyl goalkeeper.

“I remember looking a the clock in Belgrade, I was counting down and we were 8-0 down with a minute to go and I saw the number one go up. 

“And the game went dead and I’m thinking, why is has game gone? The number one was still up and I thought, oh my god, they’re taking me off.”

Kendall was replaced by Paul Pritchard who was given experience of Champions League football.

The substitution ensured that Lee wouldn’t break the record.

“I was really happy when I got substituted,” laughed Kendall.

“As I wasn’t going to break the family record!”

Whilst a memorable experience in itself, the former Crystal Palace and Cardiff City stopper will not forget his first Barry Town game in a hurry either.

“I was on loan at Barry Town from Crystal Palace which would have been 20 years ago this summer, which is showing my age now as I was a 19-year-old!” Kendall added.

“I had followed Peter Nicholas who was my youth team manager at Palace, and he had managed to get the full-time Barry job.

“I had arrived as a first-team starter at 19 and my first game was in the UEFA Cup at Boavista away in Portugal, which obviously was very daunting as your first senior game.

“We did okay, we lost 2-0 and I think I managed to get on A Question of Sport with my number falling off my back which was quite comical really!

“It was a really weird time and that’s what makes non-league and the Cymru Premier quite funny.”

(Featured Image: Darren Griffiths)