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David Kelly (association footballer)

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Footballer (born 1965) For other people named David Kelly, see David Kelly (disambiguation).

David Kelly
Personal information
Full name David Thomas Kelly
Date of birth (1965-11-25) 25 November 1965 (age 59)
Place of birth Birmingham, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Bartley Green Boys
West Bromwich Albion
Alvechurch
1981–1983 Walsall
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1983–1988 Walsall 147 (63)
1988–1990 West Ham United 41 (7)
1990–1991 Leicester City 66 (22)
1991–1993 Newcastle United 70 (35)
1993–1995 Wolverhampton Wanderers 83 (26)
1995–1997 Sunderland 34 (2)
1997–2000 Tranmere Rovers 88 (21)
2000–2001 Sheffield United 35 (6)
2001–2002 Motherwell 19 (6)
2002 Mansfield Town 17 (4)
2002 Derry City 6 (2)
Total 606 (194)
International career
1988–1998 Republic of Ireland 26 (9)
1988–1989 Republic of Ireland U21 3 (1)
1990 Republic of Ireland U23 1 (1)
1990–1994 Republic of Ireland B 3 (2)
Managerial career
2017 Port Vale (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

David Thomas Kelly (born 25 November 1965), also known by the nickname Ned Kelly, is a former Republic of Ireland international footballer and football coach who now is an assistant head coach at club Forest Green Rovers. He scored nine goals in 26 international games for the Republic of Ireland and was a squad member for UEFA Euro 1988, the 1990 FIFA World Cup, and the 1994 FIFA World Cup. A forward, he scored a total of 250 goals in 744 league and cup appearances in a 19-year career in professional football.

As a child, Kelly suffered from Legg–Calvé–Perthes disease but recovered to win a move from non-League Alvechurch and turn professional at Walsall in 1983. He was named in the 1986–87 Third Division PFA Team of the Year. He scored a hat-trick in the 1988 play-off final to secure the club promotion out of the Third Division. He was sold to West Ham United for £600,000 in August 1988 but struggled for form before being sold on to Leicester City for half that sum in March 1990. He then moved on to Newcastle United for a fee of £250,000 in December 1991. He helped Newcastle to avoid relegation out of the Second Division in 1991–92 and then win promotion into the Premier League as champions of the newly renamed First Division in 1992–93.

However, he remained in the First Division, having been signed by Wolverhampton Wanderers for a £750,000 fee in June 1993. He top-scored for Wolves in 1994–95 before he was purchased by Sunderland for £900,000 shortly before they won promotion as champions of the First Division at the end of the 1995–96 season. He dropped back into the First Division after joining Tranmere Rovers for £350,000 in 1997 and spent three seasons with Rovers, playing on the losing side of the 2000 League Cup final. Following brief spells with Sheffield United, Motherwell, and Mansfield Town, he finished his career at Derry City, winning the 2002 FAI Cup in his final match as a player.

He remained within football after retiring as a player and went on to coach at Tranmere Rovers, Sheffield United, Preston North End, Derby County, Walsall, Scunthorpe United, Port Vale, Northampton Town, and Forest Green Rovers.

Club career

Walsall

Kelly was diagnosed with Legg–Calvé–Perthes disease at the age of five, and at one stage his left leg was 4 inches (10 cm) shorter than the right leg, and he was on crutches until the age of ten. He played football for Bartley Green Boys regardless. He was attached to West Bromwich Albion before he was released by Albion. At that stage, he worked as a trolley porter at Cadbury whilst representing the youth team at non-League side Alvechurch. He joined Walsall following a successful trial in 1981, and turned professional at the club under Alan Buckley two years later. He scored three goals in six Third Division games in the 1983–84 season, before winning a regular first-team place in the 1984–85 campaign, scoring 13 goals from 41 appearances. He provided ten goals from 28 league games in the 1985–86 campaign, before his career took off under new manager Tommy Coakley; he top-scored with 26 goals from 55 appearances as the "Saddlers" posted an eighth-place finish in 1986–87, and was named in the Third Division PFA Team of the Year. He then scored 30 goals from 54 matches in the 1987–88 season as Walsall won promotion via the play-offs in 1988; he scored a hat-trick in the replay of the 1988 play-off final as Walsall beat Bristol City to achieve promotion. He went on to have a week-long trial at Bayern Munich but did not join the club despite Uli Hoeneß reportedly comparing him to Denis Law. Bundesliga restricted clubs to just two foreign players. Kelly refused Bayern's offer to sign him and loan him out whilst they looked to offload one of their two foreign players. He scored a total of 82 goals in 190 league and cup appearances throughout five seasons at Fellows Park, and the transfer fee received for him remains a club record.

West Ham United

His exploits attracted the attention of West Ham United, who signed him for a fee of £600,000 in August 1988. He made his debut in a 4–0 defeat to Southampton. His stay at the Boleyn Ground proved to be largely unsuccessful as an initially promising strike partnership with Leroy Rosenior floundered as he scored only six goals in 25 First Division games as John Lyall's "Hammers" suffered relegation in 1988–89. Kelly also failed to find form for the club under new boss Lou Macari in the Second Division, scoring just two goals in 24 matches of the 1989–90 campaign.

Leicester City

Kelly was sold to David Pleat's Leicester City for a fee of £300,000 in March 1990. He recaptured his form at Filbert Street, scoring seven goals from just ten games in the latter stages of the 1989–90 season. He then top-scored with 15 goals from 48 games to help new "Foxes" boss Gordon Lee avoid relegation out of the Second Division in 1990–91. They mounted a challenge for promotion under the stewardship of Brian Little in 1991–92, though Kelly would leave the club midway through the season.

Newcastle United

Kelly was signed to Second Division Newcastle United in December 1991 after manager Osvaldo Ardiles agreed a fee of £250,000. He scored 11 league goals for the "Magpies", including the winning goal over Tyne–Wear derby rivals Sunderland, as they avoided relegation in 1991–92. He was then the club's top-scorer with 28 goals from 57 games as Kevin Keegan steered Newcastle to promotion into the Premier League as champions of the First Division. In his final game for United, on the last day of the season against his old club Leicester City, Kelly and new strike-partner Andy Cole both scored hat-tricks in a 7–1 win at St James' Park. He was named as Newcastle United's Player of the Year, but was allowed to leave the club due to the return of Peter Beardsley. Kelly remained a highly popular figure at Newcastle, even commanding a standing ovation upon returning to St James' Park in Sunderland colours.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Kelly did not make the move back to the top-flight with Newcastle as he was transferred to First Division side Wolverhampton Wanderers in June 1993 after manager Graham Turner paid £750,000 to secure his services. He hit 14 goals from 44 games in the 1993–94 season, as Wolves posted an eighth-place finish. New manager Graham Taylor then took Wolves to fourth place in 1994–95, with Kelly top-scoring with 22 goals in 54 appearances, breaking Steve Bull's run of eight consecutive seasons as Wolves's top-scorer. However, he lost his first-team place at Molineux to Don Goodman early in the 1995–96 season and requested a transfer.

Sunderland

He signed a three-year contract with Sunderland after moving in a £900,000 deal in September 1995. However, an ankle injury restricted him to two goals in ten league matches as manager Peter Reid led the "Black Cats" to promotion into the Premier League as champions of the First Division in 1995–96, and he was transfer-listed in the summer. He remained a regular player at Roker Park in the 1996–97 campaign but failed to score a single goal all season, often being used as a right-sided midfielder rather than a striker.

Tranmere Rovers

Kelly returned to the First Division after securing a £350,000 move to Tranmere Rovers in August 1997. John Aldridge's "Superwhites" managed to secure mid-table finishes in his three seasons at Prenton Park, as he scored 14 goals from 37 games in 1997–98, six goals from 29 matches in 1998–99, and 15 goals from 46 appearances in 1999–2000. He was appointed as club captain soon after joining. He featured prominently in the club's run to the 2000 League Cup final, and scored the consolation goal in a 2–1 loss to former club Leicester City at Wembley Stadium. He was released by Tranmere in July 2000 after failing to agree a new one-year contract.

Later career

Kelly moved to Neil Warnock's Sheffield United on a free transfer at the start of the 2000–01 season. However, his one season at Bramall Lane was unsuccessful, as he scored just six goals in 35 league games. In June 2001, he turned down a coaching role at United and instead signed a two-year contract with Billy Davies's Motherwell in the Scottish Premier League. However, he was sacked on 15 January 2002 following a bust-up with new manager Eric Black. Two weeks later he accepted an offer of a three-month contract to return to the English league in the Third Division with Mansfield Town. He scored four goals in 17 games as Stuart Watkiss's "Stags" leapfrogged Cheltenham Town in the race for the final automatic promotion place. Kelly left Field Mill after being released in April 2002. He went on to train with Telford United, but rejected the club's offer of a contract. He went on to cross the Irish Sea to join Derry City in July 2002. He made his League of Ireland debut on 1 August. In his final game of professional football, Kelly helped the "Candystripes" to a 1–0 victory over Shamrock Rovers in the 2002 FAI Cup final.

International career

Kelly was born in England but was eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland because his father was born in Dublin. He scored a hat-trick on his debut in a 5–0 win over Israel at Dalymount Park on 10 November 1987, becoming only the fifth player to score a hat-trick for the Republic of Ireland. He went on to score nine goals from 26 international caps, and was selected by manager Jack Charlton in the squads for UEFA Euro 1988, the 1990 FIFA World Cup, and the 1994 FIFA World Cup. He also scored against England in what became known as the Lansdowne Road football riot on 15 February 1995, which was abandoned due to rioting by Combat 18. He was unable to play in the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification play-off fixture with Belgium after picking up an ankle injury. Belgium won 3–2 on aggregate, and Kelly never represented Ireland again.

Coaching career

After retiring as a footballer, Kelly was appointed as assistant manager to Ray Mathias at Tranmere Rovers in October 2002. He walked out on the club to work as Neil Warnock's assistant at Sheffield United in July 2003, to which Tranmere responded by threatening legal action; United had made a formal approach to Tranmere, but Kelly resigned after Tranmere rejected the approach. He was announced as Billy Davies's assistant at Preston North End in September 2004. He remained at Deepdale after Davies was sacked and replaced by Paul Simpson in June 2006. He was named as assistant manager to Davies at Derby County in July 2007, a few weeks after the club achieved promotion to the Premier League. He left the club just four months later when Davies left the club by mutual consent following a disastrous start to the 2007–08 season.

Kelly followed Davies to Nottingham Forest, again being named as assistant manager in January 2009. He took charge of one game in October 2010 after Davies was absent due to illness. He left Forest along with Davies in June 2011. He returned to former club Walsall as Dean Smith's assistant in January 2013. However, he left the club after nine days to assist Billy Davies, who had been re-appointed as Nottingham Forest manager. He and Davies were sacked by Forest in March 2014, and he settled out of court with the club over alleged unpaid bonuses and for breach of contract. After taking charge at Scunthorpe United in October 2014, Mark Robins appointed Kelly as his assistant. The pair were sacked in January 2016. He was brought in to assist caretaker manager Michael Brown at Port Vale in December 2016. On 16 September 2017, Brown was sacked following seven games without a win, and Kelly and Chris Morgan were installed as caretaker managers. The duo took charge of four games, before departing the club when Neil Aspin was appointed as manager on 4 October. He was appointed as the new development coach at Northampton Town in June 2019. He joined Forest Green Rovers as an assistant to head coach Troy Deeney in December 2023.

Personal life

Kelly has been named in Show Racism the Red Card's Hall of Fame. In the 1990s he started a golf business with his former Walsall manager, Tommy Coakley.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Walsall 1983–84 Third Division 6 3 0 0 1 0 7 3
1984–85 Third Division 32 7 3 1 6 5 41 13
1985–86 Third Division 28 10 2 0 3 0 33 10
1986–87 Third Division 42 23 6 1 7 2 55 26
1987–88 Third Division 39 20 3 1 12 9 54 30
Total 147 63 14 3 29 16 190 82
West Ham United 1988–89 First Division 25 6 6 0 8 5 39 11
1989–90 Second Division 16 1 0 0 8 1 24 2
Total 41 7 6 0 16 6 63 13
Leicester City 1989–90 Second Division 10 7 0 0 0 0 10 7
1990–91 Second Division 44 14 1 0 3 1 48 15
1991–92 Second Division 12 1 0 0 5 1 17 2
Total 66 22 1 0 8 2 75 24
Newcastle United 1991–92 Second Division 25 11 1 0 0 0 26 11
1992–93 First Division 45 24 4 1 8 3 57 28
Total 70 35 5 1 8 3 83 39
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1993–94 First Division 36 11 5 2 3 1 44 14
1994–95 First Division 42 15 6 4 6 3 54 22
1995–96 First Division 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Total 83 26 11 6 9 4 103 36
Sunderland 1995–96 First Division 10 2 1 0 1 0 12 2
1996–97 Premier League 24 0 2 0 2 0 28 0
Total 34 2 3 0 3 0 40 2
Tranmere Rovers 1997–98 First Division 29 11 3 0 5 3 37 14
1998–99 First Division 27 4 0 0 2 2 29 6
1999–2000 First Division 32 6 4 1 10 8 46 15
Total 88 21 7 1 17 13 114 35
Sheffield United 2000–01 First Division 35 6 1 0 4 2 40 8
Motherwell 2001–02 Scottish Premier League 19 6 1 0 1 1 21 7
Mansfield Town 2001–02 Third Division 17 4 0 0 0 0 17 4
Derry City 2002–03 League of Ireland
Premier Division		 6 2 4 1 0 0 10 3
Career total 610 194 53 12 95 47 754 253

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Republic of Ireland 1987 1 3
1988 3 1
1989 0 0
1990 3 1
1991 4 2
1992 3 0
1993 1 0
1994 2 0
1995 3 1
1996 1 0
1997 5 1
Total 26 9

Managerial statistics

Team From To Matches Won Drawn Lost Win % Reference
Port Vale (caretaker) 16 September 2017 4 October 2017 4 1 1 2 025.00
Total 4 1 1 2 025.00

Honours

Walsall

Newcastle United

Sunderland

Tranmere Rovers

Derry City

Individual

See also

References

  1. "David Kelly". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. Upton, Gilbert; Wilson, Steve; Bishop, Peter (24 July 2009). "Player Records". Tranmere Rovers: The Complete Record. Breedon. pp. 520–538. ISBN 978-1859837115.
  3. "Sunderland AFC - Statistics, History and Records - from TheStatCat". www.thestatcat.co.uk. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  4. ^ Dykes, Garth; Lamming, Doug (2000). All the Lads: A Complete Who's Who of Sunderland AFC. Great Britain. ISBN 9781899538157.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. Smyth, Rob; Adams, Tom (25 August 2004). "Which footballers have overcome physical problems?". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  6. Hardy, Martin (16 June 2015). "Newcastle United's nearly team of 1995/6: The inside story of the season the Magpies almost conquered England". NE Chronicle. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  7. "Information – Alvechurch F.C." www.pitchero.com. Archived from the original on 2 January 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  8. ^ "Walsall: David Kelly appointed assistant manager". BBC Sport. 29 January 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  9. ^ Lynch, Tony (1995). The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes. Random House. p. 146. ISBN 0-09-179135-9.
  10. Shaw, Phil (15 February 1994). "Football / FA Cup Countdown: Kelly plays the joker in Wolves' pack". The Independent. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  11. Panter, Matt (29 May 2022). "Walsall set David Kelly on the road to fame and success". Express and Star. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  12. "All Time Walsall Records & Achievements | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  13. ^ "David Kelly (the not-very-good forward, not the nuclear scientist)". The West Ham Way. 18 November 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  14. Tilbury, Ian (10 November 2014). "A look at West Ham's strikers from the past few decades. | Forever West Ham". Forever West Ham. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  15. ^ Stephenson, Tony. "Newcastle United Supporters Trust | Cult Hero No. 5 – David Kelly". www.nust.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2 January 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  16. Newcastle United Football Club – Fixtures 1992–93 Archived 14 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine nufc.com
  17. "Kelly's eye for goal saved the Magpies. – Free Online Library". Evening Chronicle. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  18. Shaw, Phil (9 January 1997). "Football: Keegan a master of grand populist gesture". The Independent. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  19. ^ "BBC News | FOOTBALL | Leicester triumph at Wembley". BBC News. 27 February 2000. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  20. "Kelly Departs". TranmereRovers.co.uk. Tranmere Rovers Football Club. 11 July 2000. Archived from the original on 9 March 2001. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  21. Cameron, Neil (29 June 2001). "Football: Kelly's aye to joining Steelmen. – Free Online Library". Daily Record. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  22. Baille, Michael (15 January 2002). "Football: KELLY IS SACKED BY WELL. – Free Online Library". thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  23. "BBC SPORT | MANSFIELD TOWN | Mansfield sign Kelly". BBC Sport. 29 January 2002. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  24. "BBC SPORT | Football | Teams | Mansfield Town | Kelly leaves Stags". BBC Sport. 25 April 2002. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  25. "BBC SPORT | Football | Teams | Telford | Kelly turns down Telford". BBC Sport. 29 July 2002. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  26. "BBC SPORT | N Ireland | Kelly signs for Derry". BBC Sport. 26 July 2002. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  27. "Kelly makes debut as Derry earn point". independent. 2 August 2002. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  28. ^ "BBC SPORT | N Ireland | Derry back on league trail". BBC Sport. 1 November 2002. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  29. O'Hagan, Simon (5 March 1995). "New age beckons for Kelly". The Independent. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  30. Fennessy, Paul (4 September 2015). "Here are Ireland's 10 biggest-ever wins in international football". The42. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  31. Fottrell, Stephen; Austin, Simon (28 May 2013). "England v Republic of Ireland: Riot marred Lansdowne Road friendly". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  32. "SALVAGE MY WORLD CUP DREAM, LADS!; Kelly plea to Ireland. – Free Online Library". thefreelibrary.com. 21 October 1997. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  33. "BBC SPORT | N Ireland | Kelly takes Tranmere post". BBC Sport. 17 October 2002. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  34. "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Sheff Utd | Kelly set for Blades". BBC Sport. 9 July 2003. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  35. "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Tranmere Rovers | Tranmere mull legal action". BBC Sport. 5 July 2003. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  36. "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Preston | Davies lands Preston job". BBC Sport. 27 September 2004. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  37. "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Preston | Simpson to keep North End staff". BBC Sport. 21 June 2006. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  38. "BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Derby County | Kelly to be number two at Derby". BBC Sport. 10 July 2007. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  39. "BBC Sport – Football – Davies will miss Nottingham Forest's trip to Barnsley". BBC Sport. 15 October 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  40. "Coaching quintet sacked by Nottingham Forest". BBC Sport. 17 June 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  41. "David Kelly quits Walsall FC after just nine days « Express & Star". Express and Star. 7 February 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  42. "Nottingham Forest settle David Kelly unpaid bonus case". BBC News. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  43. "Mark Robins: Scunthorpe United appoint former Huddersfield boss". BBC Sport. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  44. "Mark Robins: Scunthorpe United sack manager and assistant". BBC Sport. 18 January 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  45. Baggaley, Mike (30 December 2016). "Port Vale bring in coach David 'Ned' Kelly". Stoke Sentinel. Archived from the original on 31 December 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  46. "Club Statement: Michael Brown". port-vale.co.uk. 16 September 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  47. "Port Vale: Gateshead manager Neil Aspin returns to former club as manager". BBC Sport. 4 October 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  48. Baggaley, Michael (4 October 2017). "Chris Morgan and Ned Kelly leave Port Vale". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  49. Casey, Jeremy (27 June 2019). "Cobblers appoint David Kelly as club's new development coach". www.northamptonchron.co.uk. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  50. Ryan, Alfie (23 December 2023). "Troy Deeney after Gillingham draw". Gloucestershire Live. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  51. "Hall of Fame". www.srtrc.org. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  52. Scott, Ged (16 May 1998). "Coakley driven to distraction with little help from his friend" (reprint hosted at The Free Library (Farlex)). Birmingham Post. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  53. David Kelly at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  54. David Kelly at Soccerbase
  55. "David Kelly". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
1986–87 Football League Third Division PFA Team of the Year
Republic of Ireland squads
Republic of Ireland squad – UEFA Euro 1988
Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland squad – 1990 FIFA World Cup
Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland squad – 1994 FIFA World Cup
Republic of Ireland
Port Vale F.C. – managers
(a) = acting in regular manager's absence; (c) = caretaker / interim manager; (s) = secretary
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