Kenny Jackett

Kenny Jackett was born Kenneth Francis Jackett on 5 January 1962 in Watford, Hertfordshire. His father, Frank Jackett (1927-2010), was a Welsh wing half born in Ystalyfera who played 14 league games for Watford between 1949 and 1953 before moving on to Leyton Orient and Ramsgate. Kenny grew up in Watford, played youth football for Bushey Rangers and joined Watford's youth set-up at the age of 12 in 1974. His father's Welsh birth later made him eligible to play international football for Wales.

Details of Jackett's schooling have not been made public. His football education came through the Watford youth system from the age of 12. While still a player he began taking coaching qualifications, which allowed him to move straight onto the Watford coaching staff when injury ended his career in 1990. In the summer of 2006, while Swansea City manager, he completed the UEFA Pro Licence.

Jackett made his Watford debut aged 18 on 26 April 1980 as a substitute at Sunderland. He became a regular in Graham Taylor's side that won promotion to the First Division in 1982 and finished runners-up in the league in 1982-83. He played in the 1984 FA Cup final, which Watford lost 2-0 to Everton, and in the club's first UEFA Cup campaign in 1983-84. A skilful left-footed player, he could play at left-back or in midfield. Repeated knee operations forced him to retire in 1990 at the age of 28. He made 428 appearances and scored 34 goals for Watford, his only professional club, and he remains among the club's all-time top appearance makers.

Internationally he won 31 caps for Wales. He made his debut on 22 September 1982 in a 1-0 win over Norway in a Euro 84 qualifier, and won his final cap on 27 April 1988 in a 4-1 friendly defeat to Sweden in Stockholm.

After retiring Jackett joined the Watford coaching staff. In February 1996 the returning Graham Taylor asked him and Luther Blissett to run the first team, and Jackett was appointed manager for the 1996-97 season, finishing 13th in the third tier. He then became Taylor's first-team coach as Watford won successive promotions and reached the Premier League for 1999-2000. He left in 2001 when Gianluca Vialli took over and became assistant manager to Ian Holloway at Queens Park Rangers, who won promotion from Division Two.

In April 2004 he became manager of Swansea City. The Swans won promotion from League Two in 2004-05, lifted the FAW Premier Cup in 2005 and 2006, won the Football League Trophy in April 2006 and reached the League One play-off final, losing to Barnsley on penalties. He resigned in February 2007, saying he no longer had the full support of everyone connected with the club, and briefly ran Manchester City's reserve team.

He was appointed Millwall manager on 6 November 2007. Millwall reached the League One play-off final in 2009, losing 3-2 to Scunthorpe United, then won it in 2010 with a 1-0 victory over Swindon Town, the club's first ever promotion through the play-offs. He consolidated Millwall in the Championship, won Manager of the Month awards and took them to the FA Cup semi-final in 2013 before resigning that May.

On 31 May 2013 he became head coach of Wolverhampton Wanderers, then in League One for the first time since 1989. Wolves won the 2013-14 title with a divisional record 103 points, then finished seventh in the Championship in 2014-15. After the club's purchase by Fosun International in July 2016, his contract was terminated on 29 July 2016.

He managed Rotherham United for 39 days in late 2016, then joined Portsmouth in June 2017. There he won the EFL Trophy at Wembley on 31 March 2019, beating Sunderland 5-4 on penalties after a 2-2 draw, and reached the following final, before being dismissed in March 2021. His final managerial post was at Leyton Orient from May 2021 to February 2022. Across 922 matches as a manager he won 407. From January 2023 to November 2024 he was director of football at Gillingham, leaving on medical grounds.

Jackett was married to Samantha (Sam) Jackett, and they had two sons, David and Ryan. Ryan followed him into coaching, serving as caretaker manager of Kings Langley in 2019 and later working as an academy coach at Watford. At his funeral his long-time assistant Joe Gallen described two men: Kenny Jackett the football man and Ken Jackett the family man, a champion at both. His family said that during his final months of illness he was able to greet his first grandchild.

Colleagues consistently described Jackett as a modest, organised and loyal football man. The League Managers Association said he embodied humility, professionalism and a deep care for his players and staff, and that he improved every club he served with quiet dignity. Former youth players such as Paul Robinson and Wayne Andrews credited him with giving them belief and an edge as young professionals. When he left Millwall in 2013 he said the time was right for a new challenge and for a new manager to bring fresh ideas, a decision the board accepted with reluctance. He publicly expressed no wider political or religious views that have been documented.

Jackett is remembered as a Watford legend and one of the most respected managers in the English Football League. He won three promotions as a manager (Swansea, Millwall and Wolves) and two Football League Trophies. Wolves credit him with starting the club's rise from the third tier to the Premier League and European football, Millwall regard him as one of their greatest managers, and Swansea fans associate him with the club's final days at the Vetch Field and the start of its modern rise. After his death, Watford fan group The 1881 Movement launched a fundraiser for a giant banner in his memory to cover the Rookery End at Vicarage Road.

As a player (Watford): FA Cup runner-up 1983-84; First Division runner-up 1982-83 squad member.

As a manager: Football League Two promotion 2004-05 (Swansea City); Football League Trophy 2005-06 (Swansea City); FAW Premier Cup 2004-05 and 2005-06 (Swansea City); Manchester Senior Cup 2006-07 (Manchester City reserves); League One play-off winner 2010 (Millwall); Football League One champion 2013-14 (Wolverhampton Wanderers); EFL Trophy 2018-19 and runner-up 2019-20 (Portsmouth).

Individual: League One Manager of the Month (September 2008, October 2009, March 2010, March 2014); Championship Manager of the Month (April 2012, November 2012, August 2014); LMA League One Manager of the Year 2013-14 (shared).

Jackett featured in many club and broadcast interviews across his career, including Sky Bet and Texaco Ask The Boss segments during his Millwall years and regular press conferences for Portsmouth and Wolves. After his death Watford released a tribute episode of Watford Unlocked, and supporters' podcasts at Millwall, Swansea and Portsmouth devoted episodes to him.

Jackett stepped down from his role at Gillingham in November 2024 on medical grounds. He died on 11 June 2026, aged 64. The League Managers Association announced his death on behalf of his family the next day, and Watford, Wolves, Millwall, Swansea City, Portsmouth, Gillingham and Leyton Orient all paid tribute. The cause of death and the place of death have not been made public. His funeral was held on 8 July 2026 at West Herts Crematorium in Watford, led by former Watford chaplain John Graham. Mourners included Luther Blissett, John Barnes, Tony Coton, Nigel Gibbs, Rita Taylor (widow of Graham Taylor), Rob Edwards and Vinnie Jones, and Wolves, Millwall and Swansea sent floral tributes. His sons Ryan and David gave tributes and his wife Sam thanked the medical professionals who supported the family.