| Ben McKenna | |
| Fullname: | Benjamin James McKenna |
| Height: | 1.79m |
| Birth Date: | 16 January 1993[1] |
| Birth Place: | Burnley, England |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Youthyears1: | 2001–2009 |
| Youthclubs1: | Burnley |
| Youthyears2: | 2009–2010 |
| Youthclubs2: | Carlisle United |
| Years1: | 2010–2012 |
| Clubs1: | Carlisle United |
| Caps1: | 2 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2012 |
| Clubs2: | → Annan Athletic (loan) |
| Caps2: | 14 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2013–2014 |
| Clubs3: | Workington |
| Caps3: | 44 |
| Goals3: | 4 |
| Years4: | 2014–2016 |
| Clubs4: | Stalybridge Celtic |
| Caps4: | 73 |
| Goals4: | 6 |
| Years5: | 2016 |
| Clubs5: | → Ashton United (loan) |
| Caps5: | 3 |
| Goals5: | 0 |
| Years6: | 2016 |
| Clubs6: | Bradford Park Avenue |
| Caps6: | 19 |
| Goals6: | 3 |
| Years7: | 2016–2017 |
| Clubs7: | Southport |
| Caps7: | 19 |
| Goals7: | 2 |
| Years8: | 2017–2018 |
| Clubs8: | Stockport County |
| Caps8: | 22 |
| Goals8: | 1 |
| Years9: | 2018 |
| Clubs9: | Curzon Ashton |
| Caps9: | 14 |
| Goals9: | 3 |
| Years10: | 2018–2019 |
| Clubs10: | Bradford Park Avenue |
| Caps10: | 21 |
| Goals10: | 5 |
| Years11: | 2019 |
| Clubs11: | Chester |
| Caps11: | 9 |
| Goals11: | 1 |
| Years12: | 2019–2021 |
| Clubs12: | Spennymoor Town |
| Caps12: | 41 |
| Goals12: | 4 |
| Years13: | 2021 |
| Caps13: | 7 |
| Goals13: | 0 |
| Years14: | 2021–2022 |
| Caps14: | 21 |
| Goals14: | 2 |
| Years15: | 2023 |
| Caps15: | 1 |
| Goals15: | 0 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2009–2010 |
| Nationalteam1: | Northern Ireland U17 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 4 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2010–2011 |
| Nationalteam2: | Northern Ireland U18 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 2 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Nationalyears3: | 2011–2012 |
| Nationalteam3: | Northern Ireland U19 |
| Nationalcaps3: | 2 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 14:13, 6 December 2023 (UTC) |
Benjamin James McKenna (born 16 January 1993) is an English-born Northern Irish footballer. He plays as a midfielder.
McKenna was born in Burnley, Lancashire. He attended Blessed Trinity RC College in the town.[2] He started off at Burnley's academy, but after being released by his hometown club, McKenna joined Carlisle United on a two-year YTS contract.
After impressive performances in the youth and reserve teams, McKenna got called up to the first team squad and made his senior debut for Carlisle United in a 6–0 FA Cup first round victory against Tipton Town in November 2010, as a 46th-minute substitute[3] McKenna made his League debut in February 2011, during a 1–0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday as a 79th-minute substitute.[4] On 12 January 2012, he joined Scottish Third Division side Annan Athletic on loan until the end of the 2011–12 season.[5] On 3 May 2012, Carlisle United announced that McKenna's contract would not be renewed at the end of the 2011–12 season.
After having an unsuccessful trial with League Two side Accrington Stanley in January 2013 McKenna joined Workington Reds on 4 March 2013 for the remainder of the 2012–2013 season.
Between June 2014 and May 2016 he played for Stalybridge Celtic.[6]
In the summer of 2016 he joined Bradford Park Avenue.[7]
In November 2016 he joined Southport.[8]
He then joined Stockport County.[9]
McKenna left Stockport County in February 2018 to join fellow National League North side, Curzon Ashton.[10]
In June 2018 he returned to Bradford Park Avenue for a second spell with the club.[11]
In January 2019 he joined Chester from league rivals Bradford Park Avenue.[12]
McKenna has been capped for Northern Ireland at under-17 under-18 and under-19 level.[13]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Carlisle United | 2010–11 | League One | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Annan Athletic (loan) | 2011–12 | Scottish Third Division | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| Workington | 2012–13 | Conference North | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | ||||
| 2013–14 | Conference North | 39 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 40 | 4 | |||
| Total | 44 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 45 | 4 | ||||
| Stalybridge Celtic | 2014–15 | Conference North | 41 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 44 | 5 | ||
| 2015–16[14] | National League North | 23 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 29 | 1 | |||
| Total | 64 | 6 | 6 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | 75 | 6 | ||||
| Bradford Park Avenue | 2016–17[15] | National League North | 19 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 3 | |||
| Southport | 2016–17 | National League | 19 | 2 | — | — | 2[16] | 0 | 21 | 2 | |||
| Stockport County | 2017–18[17] [18] [19] | National League North | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 3 | 1 | 22 | 1 | ||
| Curzon Ashton | 2017–18 | National League North | 14 | 3 | — | — | — | 14 | 3 | ||||
| Bradford Park Avenue | 2018–19[20] [21] [22] | National League North | 21 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 24 | 5 | ||
| Chester | 2018–19 | National League North | 9 | 1 | — | — | — | 9 | 1 | ||||
| Spennymoor Town | 2019–20[23] [24] [25] | National League North | 29 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 33 | 3 | ||
| 2020–21[26] [27] | National League North | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 15 | 1 | |||
| Total | 41 | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 48 | 4 | ||||
| Farsley Celtic | 2021–22[28] | National League North | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||
| Clitheroe | 2021–22[29] | NPL Division One West | 21 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 22 | 2 | |||
| Career total | 291 | 30 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 322 | 31 | |||