Kernick, Dudley

Birth Date

24th August 1921

Birthplace

Camelford, Cornwall

Occupation

Forward

Biographical Text

Camelford-born Dudley Kernick appeared as a guest for Exeter City during 1945/46 when two interim league competitions - Division Three South (South of Thames) [played until Christmas] and the Division Three South Cup (Southern Section) [played from January] - were organised ahead of a return to ‘normal’ league football in 1946/47. Signing for Torquay United at the start of 1939, he returned to Plainmoor after the war before later spells with Northampton Town and Birmingham City

Dudley Kernick made 8 appearances and scored 5 goals as a guest player for Exeter City in 1945-46. His debut was in a 5-3 win at Aldershot in September 1945 when he scored one of the goals.

Son of a blacksmith, he had been playing local football with Tintagel when he attracted the interest of both Exeter City and Torquay United when still a teenager. Signing as a professional for Torquay United in January 1939 he didn't make his league debut until after the war when he scored 7 goals in 39 league starts. During wartime football he appeared in the colours of  Birmingham City as well as Exeter.

Leaving Torquay in August 1948 he signed for Northampton Town for a fee of £3,000, but he quickly moved on to sign for Birmingham City in December 1948 even though he had not played in the Cobblers’ first-team . Again not featuring in the first-team during his time at St Andrews, he signed for (then) Midland League side  Shrewsbury Town whilst jointly owning a restaurant and coffee bar business with Birmingham City and England goalkeeper Gil Merrick. Playing later for Kettering, he entered management with Hinckley Athletic and Nuneaton Borough in the late 1950s and 1960s before working as  commercial manager of Stoke City until 1985.

Later moving to Florida, where he owned a pub/restaurant, he wrote a book titled ‘Who The Hell is Dudley Kernick?’ ahead of his death at the age of ninety-eight on 15 December 2019.

Appearances

8

Goals

5

Files

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