Bobby Kellard

Robert Sydney William 'Bobby' Kellard (born March 1, 1943 in Edmonton, London) is an English former professional footballer. He represented England at Youth level.

Early league career

Kellard, a much-travelled midfielder [The PFA & Premier League Complete Players Record Hugman,B: London, Q.A.P, 1998 ISBN 1852915854] , began his career as a junior with Southend United and became Southend's youngest ever league player (at the age of 16 years and 208 days [ "Southend United Football Club- the official history of the Blues Goody,D/Mason,P: Harefield, Yore, 1993 ISBN 1874427208] ) in September 1959 when he started the game at Bradford City. He turned professional in May 1960 and went on to score 15 times in 106 games for the Shrimpers before earning a £9,000 move to Crystal Palace in September 1963. After 6 goals in 77 games he moved to Ipswich Town, but played only 13 times [ [http://www.tmwmtt.com/sql/players/profile.phtml?first=Bobby&last=Kellard Details of short stay] ] before moving to Portsmouth in March 1966 ["Portsmouth Football Club-an A to Z" Hayes,D:Seaford, S.B., 1997 ISBN 1857701488]

Mid career

In July 1966, after 91 games for Portsmouth in which he scored eight times, he moved to Bristol City for a fee of £30,000 [ [http://www.theincider.com/features/times.php Top earner on £120 pw!] ] where he scored six times in 77 games before moving to Leicester City in August 1970 for a fee of £50,000. He helped Leicester to promotion in 1971, but left in September 1971 to rejoin Crystal Palace for a fee of £50,000, having scored eight goals in 49 games for the Foxes [ [http://www.cpfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/PalaceLegendsK-O/0,,10323~676776,00.html Listed as CP legend] ] . He was signed by Palace as a replacement for Steve Kember who they had sold to Chelsea for £170,000, and he fitted in so well that by November he had been made captain. He lost the captaincy the following September and immediately asked for a transfer, soon after which he was dropped from the team.

Later career

In December 1972 he moved back to Portsmouth [ Headline The pocket battleship returns by Reg Betts in "Portsmouth Evening News" dated 6th December 1974] , having scored four times in 46 games for Palace. At Portsmouth he gained the unwanted honour of being the first player sent off on a Sunday when he was dismissed against Orient in January 1974 [Headline Stalemate again (It was already a replay) Sub-heading "Kellard off as Pompey and Orient draw blank"- Article in "Portsmouth Evening News" (Ibid) by Mike Neasom Monday January 29th, 1974] . The following January he joined Hereford United on loan, and later in 1975 left to play in South Africa for Durban City, having scored six times in 62 games for Pompey. He moved to Cape Town City, but returned to England in September 1975, joining Torquay United, but played only twice for Malcolm Musgrove's side, the first being a 7-1 defeat away to Tranmere Rovers and the last against Hartlepool [ [http://www.inthemadcrowd.co.uk/cgi-bin/itmc_view_person.asp?oid=5957 Last ever league game] ] , before leaving league football to join Chelmsford City.

After league career finished

In January 1976 he was appointed player-manager of Chelmsford City [ [http://www.chelmsfordcityfc.com/managers_roll_call.htm List of CCFC Managers] ] , a position he held until the May 1977. He later played for Grays Athletic. He later spent several years running a taxi business in Southend, but in 1999 was trading as an antiques dealer [ [http://www.barnetfc.premiumtv.co.uk/staticFiles/90/11/0,,10431~4496,00.doc Post career employment] ] . More recently he had a spell as joint-manager of Harlow Town along with former Leicester City player Len Glover.

In July 2004, "This is Essex" [http://www.thisisessex.co.uk/] reported that Kellard was living in Spain.

References