David Kelly (footballer)

Infobox Football biography
playername = David Kelly


fullname = David Thomas Kelly
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1965|11|25
cityofbirth = Birmingham
countryofbirth = England
height = height|ft=5|in=11
currentclub =
position = Striker (retired)
years = 1983-1988
1988-1990
1990-1991
1991-1993
1993-1995
1995-1997
1997-2000
2000-2001
2001-2002
2002
2002
clubs = Walsall
West Ham United
Leicester City
Newcastle United
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Sunderland
Tranmere Rovers
Sheffield United
Motherwell
Mansfield Town
Derry City
Total
caps(goals) = 147 0(63)
041 00(7)
066 0(22)
070 0(35)
083 0(26)
034 00(2)
088 0(21)
035 00(6)
019 00(6)
017 00(4)
007 00(2)
606 (194)
nationalyears = 1990-1994
1988-1998
nationalteam = Republic of Ireland B
Republic of Ireland
nationalcaps(goals) = 003 00(2)
026 00(9)
pcupdate = 19:24, 29 January 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 19:24, 29 January 2008 (UTC)

David Thomas Kelly (born November 25 1965) is a retired footballer. He was born in Birmingham, England but chose to play for the Republic of Ireland, picking up 26 caps and scoring 9 goals (including a hat trick on his debut against Israel). His most famous goal for Ireland came in a February 1995 friendly clash against England in which Ireland won 1-0, with Kelly scoring just before the half hour mark. The game was abandoned shortly thereafter due to English fans bad behaviour, including chants of "No Surrender to the IRA". As a child, Kelly suffered from Perthes Disease, but recovered to forge a long and successful career in professional football.

Kelly turned out for Walsall, West Ham United, Leicester City, Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sunderland, Tranmere Rovers, Sheffield United, Motherwell, Mansfield Town and Derry City F.C., retiring in 2002.

He was Newcastle's leading scorer with 25 league goals when they won promotion from the English Division One to the top-flight Premier League division in the 1992-93 season, but was transferred to Wolves in fear of losing his first-team place at St James' Park following the return of Peter Beardsley. Kelly played well in his first two seasons in the Black Country, but lost his first team place to Don Goodman in the autumn of 1995 and this led to him asking for a transfer.

He was in another promotion winning side in 1996 after featuring in Sunderland's Division One title winning campaign, but was unable to prevent them from losing their Premiership status after just one season. His goalscoring record at Sunderland was dismally low, and in 1996-97 he failed to score a single league goal despite playing most of Sunderland's Premiership fixtures.

Upon completing his move to Tranmere Rovers in the summer of 1997, Kelly quickly became a firm fan's favourite. Starting 69 league matches for the Rovers with a further 19 substitute appearances Kelly also featured in 7 FA Cup and 17 League Cup games for the Superwhites. Kelly scored 35 goals for Tranmere. His most prolific season was the 1999 - 2000 season. Kelly featured prominently in Rovers' League Cup Run which ultimately led to them reaching the final and losing 2-1 to Leicester City. Kelly scored the goal for Rovers and finished the season as the competition's top scorer. Kelly made a brief but unsuccessful return to Tranmere as assistant manager in 2002 many Tranmere fans still hold Kelly in high esteem even after he abandoned Tranmere to seek glory at Sheffield United.

David Kelly is a unique player as he was actually applauded while running onto St James' Park as a substitute in the colours of rivals Sunderland, which is usually an extremely fierce game filled with hatred, Kelly lists this as his second favourite and proudest moment as a footballer.

Signed for Derry in July 2002 [http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/archive/2002/0727/Pg029.html#Ar02901:5B31F85CD20E5891F85AE20E5891E85AE1FD5B61E85CE1FD5D11E75D91FC] and scored his first goal in an FAI Cup clash [http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/archive/2002/0816/Pg016.html#Ar01609:4AF65B4D46704A77154BD7234CE61A53365746C65B4A167047C71549B7234986D04B96E54E97214FD73048872E49C73C46B73A47874847A73A47D74847C73A48074849A7474A57554A57474A77554A87474AE75546C6D04916E546B72E48373C53D72D55773C] . Altogether he scored 3 goals in 11 appearances while in the Candystripes.

In his final game of professional football, Kelly helped Derry City to victory over Shamrock Rovers in the 2002 FAI Cup final, departing for Dublin Airport immediately after the final whistle sounded at Tolka Park in order to assume his duties as newly-appointed assistant manager at Tranmere Rovers.

Coaching career

After retiring as a Footballer he became a coach and has consistently worked with Billy Davies, as a player at Motherwell F.C. and being part of Davies' backroom staff at Preston and Derby County F.C..

He was named as assistant manager to Billy Davies at Derby in July 2007, a few weeks after the club achieved promotion to the Premier League after Davies had spent the majority of the 2006/07 season trying to secure Kelly from Preston, who placed him on gardening leave following Davies' move to Derby. He left the club, with Davies, just 4 months later when Davies left the club by mutual consent following a disastrous start to the 2007/08 season.

Honours

* FAI Cup :
** Derry City F.C. 2002