Hugh Kelly (footballer)
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| Hugh Kelly | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Hugh Thomas Kelly | |
| Date of birth | July 23, 1923 | |
| Place of birth | Valleyfield, Scotland | |
| Playing position | Defender (retired) | |
| Youth clubs | ||
| -1943 | Jeanfield Swifts | |
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1943-1960 | Blackpool | 428 (8) |
| National team | ||
| 1952 | Scotland | 1 (0) |
| Teams managed | ||
| 1961-1963 | Ashton United (player-manager) | |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
||
Hugh Thomas Kelly (born July 23, 1923 in Valleyfield, Fife) is a Scottish former professional football player and manager. He played as a defender.
Kelly began his career in his native land with junior club Jeanfield Swifts. He joined English club Blackpool in 1943 as a 20-year-old, but due to the ongoing World War II, he didn't make his League debut for the Seasiders until September 1946. During the war, he guested for several clubs, including East Fife.
It took some time for Kelly to establish himself in Blackpool's half-back line, but by 1948-49, the trio of Harry Johnston, Eric Hayward and Kelly was becoming legendary. He played in both the 1948 and 1951 FA Cup Finals, but an ankle injury meant he missed the famous 1953 match-up with Bolton Wanderers, although the club asked the Football Association to produce a special winners' medal for his nomination as "twelfth man".
In 1955-56 he took over as Blackpool skipper from Johnston and helped the club to their highest-ever league finish, runners-up to Manchester United.
At the end of 1959-60 he was given a free transfer, and non-league Ashton United came in for his services as their player-manager.
Kelly was later on the backroom staff at Bloomfield Road and also started a business in the town as a grocer and ice-cream manufacturer.
[edit] International career
Kelly won one cap for Scotland, in the 6-0 defeat of the United States in 1952.
[edit] References
- Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887-1992. Breedon Books Sport. ISBN 1-873626-07-X.
- Kelly's profile at the Scottish FA's website
- Kelly's stats at Neil Brown's site
- Kelly's profile at Soccerbase
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This biographical article related to an English football defender born in the 1920s is a stub. You can help by expanding it. |
