Kevin Kelbie

Football player infobox
playername =Kevin Kelbie
fullname = Kevin Kelbie
height = (6'1")
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1985|02|24|mf=y
cityofbirth = Stirling
countryofbirth = Scotland
currentclub = Ballymena United
position = Forward
youthyears = 1999-2002 2002-2003
youthclubs = Celtic Rangers
years = 2002-2004 2004-2005 2005 2005-
clubs = Alloa Athletic Northern Oklahoma College Glentoran Ballymena United
caps(goals) = 8 (0) - (-) 0 (0) 104 (49)
nationalyears = 1995-
pcupdate = June 1 2008
ntupdate = June 1 2008

Kevin Kelbie (born February 24, 1985 in Scotland) is a football player who plays as a striker. He currently plays for Ballymena United in the Irish Premier League. Kevin is also employed by a Stirlingshire based electrical contractor, AC Gold Services, for whom he works as an electrician.

Early career

Born in the Scottish town of Stirling on 24 February, 1985; Kevin Kelbie was living the dream of playing for his boyhood club.

The bubbly Scot was spotted playing for his local youth team in Stirling, when he was signed by Glasgow Celtic as a schoolboy. Kevin spent nearly three years at the Glasgow giants at Parkhead.

During the summer of 2002, he made a bold move after not being kept on by Celtic - Kevin signed for Rangers. However his time in the youth team at Ibrox wasn't long spent before he was on the move again.

Alloa Athletic

In November 2002, he moved to Scottish First Division side, Alloa Athletic, then managed by Terry Christie. Kevin had to wait until the following 2003/2004 season to make his senior debut at Recreation Park.

18-year-old Kelbie made his Alloa debut in the opening game of the season against Clyde - starting in a 2-1 defeat in the Challenge Cup. He went onto make eight more first team appearances that season, all from the substitutes bench.

Northern Oklamhoma College

With slow progression at Alloa, Kevin decided to take a year out to move across the pond to the United States. He spent a season with Northern Oklahoma College in 2004.

Glentoran

In July 2005, Kevin moved to Northern Ireland to work and live with relatives after returning from America. Glentoran manager, Roy Coyle, was soon in contact and he soon was on trial at the East Belfast Glens.

He impressed playing out of position on the left side of midfield in pre-season and earned a one-year contract at the Oval but after struggling to make an impression in the early domestic games of the 2005/06 season - Glentoran accepted Ballymena United's offer to take the 20-year-old Scot to Warden Street.

Ballymena United

Kelbie made his Ballymena United debut away to Newry City in late August; and the following week he scored the winner in his full debut against Glenavon at Mourneview Park. However he was to struggle in his first few months at the Showgrounds.

Niggling injuries and a surprising diagnosis of diabetes turned his form around as modified diet and training produced a revitalised striker in December as he came off the bench to score a dramatic last minute winner at the Oval against his former employers - Glentoran.

The goals just didn't stop flowing as Kelbie racked up 16 goals in little over half a season at the Braid - including a fantastic strike in the County Antrim Shield final against Linfield; which Ballymena were unlucky to lose.

His great form was rewarded with a new two-year contract at Ballymena and he even had Northern Ireland Under-21 manager, Roy Millar, checking his eligibility to transfer his allegiance to his new residence.

The following season proved tougher for the Scot as the other teams in the league stood up and took notice, however despite a slow start and a loss of form - the goals returned and he finished top goalscorer again with 16 strikes in 2006/2007.

However, Kelbie dropped a bombshell on the club early in 2007 when he declared his intention to move back home to Scotland after suffering from homesickness. Thankfully, an arrangement was made to fly United's key asset over for games and whilst in Scotland he would train with his hometown club - Stirling Albion.

With the lethal Kevin Kelbie on board for the 2007/2008 season, United still have a proven Irish League goalscorer to hopefully fire them up the league.Kevin is currently the subject of a bid from Ireland's biggest football club Linfield FC

Honours

County Antrim Shield Runner-Up 2006

Career Statistics

-
1999-00||rowspan="3"|Celtic||rowspan="3"|Premier League||0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|-||0||0
-
2000-01||0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|-||0||0
-
2001-02||24||5||colspan="2"|-||2||0||colspan="2"|-||26||5
-
2002-03||rowspan="1"|Rangers||rowspan="1"|Premier League||0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|-||0||0
-
2002-03||rowspan="2"|Alloa Athletic||rowspan="1"|First Division||0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|-||0||0
-
2003-04||Second Division||7||0||0||0||1||0||colspan="2"|-||8||0
-

-
2004-05||rowspan="1"|Northern Oklahoma College||rowspan="1"|College League||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||26||4
-
-
2005-06||rowspan="1"|Glentoran||rowspan="1"|Premier Division||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
-
2005-06||rowspan="3"|Ballymena United||rowspan="3"|Premier Division||23||11||3||0||5||5||colspan="2"|-|||31||16
-
2006-07||28||12||4||1||7||4||colspan="2"|-||39||17
-
2007-08||29||2||1||0||3||0||colspan="2"|-||34||16

External links

* [http://www.ballymenaunitedfc.com/squad/players/kelbie-kevin/index.htm Kevin Kelbie Profile on Official Ballymena United website]