Rob Kelly

For the American football player, see Rob Kelly (American football).
Rob Kelly
Personal information
Full nameRobert Anthony Kelly
Date of birth21 December 1964
Place of birthBirmingham, England
Playing positionMidfielder
Youth career
1981–1984Leicester City
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1984–1986Leicester City24(1)
1984–1985Tranmere Rovers (loan)5(2)
1986–1989Wolverhampton Wanderers16(2)
1989–????Burton Albion?(?)
Total45(5)
Teams managed
2006–2007Leicester City
2007Preston North End (caretaker)
2009–2010Preston North End (caretaker)
2011Sheffield Wednesday (caretaker)
2011Nottingham Forest (caretaker)
2013Nottingham Forest (caretaker)
2014–2015West Bromwich Albion (caretaker)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Robert Anthony "Rob" Kelly (born 21 December 1964) is an English former footballer and manager. He was recently the caretaker manager of West Bromwich Albion. He had previously been manager of Leicester City, and caretaker manager at Preston North End, Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest.

Playing career

Kelly began his career at Leicester City, making his debut as a 19-year-old in a home game against Sunderland at the end of the 1983/84 season. After making 18 starts for the Foxes (plus nine substitute appearances) and scoring one goal, he joined Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1986. As a youngster, he also received a call up to represent the Republic of Ireland at youth level.

Coaching career

In 1989, Kelly was forced to retire aged just 24 after sustaining a back injury, and initially took the job of youth team coach at Wolves. He then trained as a journalist at the Wolverhampton Express & Star, before returning to football, first back in the Wolves coaching set-up. Then moving to Watford as youth team coach, Blackburn Rovers as Academy Director, and then Leicester City.

After the sacking of Leicester manager Craig Levein, following 18 months in charge, Kelly stepped up from his Assistant Manager role to take control on a caretaker basis.

In his first ten games in charge his team took 21 points from a possible 30, steering the side up the Championship table and away from the threat of relegation to League One. He was awarded the Championship Manager of the Month award for March 2006. This followed wins over relegation rivals Hull City and Millwall, as well as victory against Luton Town and a creditable draw against Premiership-bound Reading. In recognition of his achievements, on 14 April 2006 he signed a one-year rolling contract, confirming his status as manager.

On 11 April 2007 Kelly was sacked due to a poor run of results, his final game being a 3–0 defeat away to Plymouth Argyle. He was replaced by Nigel Worthington until the end of the season.

In May 2007 he joined Preston North End as part of the club's coaching staff.[1] On 13 November 2007 he stepped up from his position as Assistant Manager to become Caretaker Manager, after the sacking of manager Paul Simpson.[2] Kelly spent just a week in the temporary position, and didn't oversee any first team action, as Alan Irvine was appointed as the Club's new manager on 20 November 2007, with Kelly reverting to his role as assistant.

Kelly again acted as Caretaker Manager following the departure of Alan Irvine in December 2009, a 7–0 FA Cup win over Colchester being his only game in charge. He left the club following the appointment of Darren Ferguson as manager, only to be re-united with Alan Irvine at Sheffield Wednesday, once more as Assistant Manager.

In February 2011 Kelly was appointed Caretaker Manager at Wednesday following the departure of Irvine,[3] but left the club after Gary Megson was appointed as manager and made changes to the coaching staff.[4]

Kelly joined Nottingham Forest as assistant manager to Steve McClaren in the summer of 2011, only to find himself as Caretaker Manager again in less than three months when McClaren resigned on 2 October after a dispute with the club's board. Steve Cotterill was appointed the club's new manager on 14 October, though Kelly remained in caretaker charge of the team until the following day, when he managed the team to a defeat by Coventry City. Following that match, Kelly reverted to being the club's assistant manager.[5]

He was placed 'temporarily in charge of first team affairs' during the pre season of the 2012/13 campaign after the sacking of Steve Cotterill by the club's new owners.[5] However, following the appointment of Sean O'Driscoll,[6] Kelly again reverted to the role of assistant manager. He remained assistant manager when O'Driscoll was in turn sacked in December 2012 and replaced by Alex McLeish, only to find himself as caretaker manager yet again just six weeks later when McLeish resigned. Billy Davies was announced as the club's new manager on 7 February, though it was also announced that Kelly would remain in charge of the club for the following match against Bristol City, who coincidentally were now managed by O'Driscoll. Like his previous caretaker spell, the sole match that he was in charge for ended in defeat.

On 29 December 2014, Kelly took over as caretaker manager of West Bromwich Albion after Irvine's dismissal.[7] Kelly's only game in charge was a 1–1 away draw against West Ham United on 1 January 2015,[8] following the appointment of Tony Pulis as head coach.[9]

Managerial statistics

As of 1 January 2015
Team Nat From To Record
GWDLWin %
Leicester City England 25 January 2006 11 April 2007 6321192333.3
Preston North End (caretaker) England 13 November 2007 20 November 2007 0000
Preston North End (caretaker) England 29 December 2009 6 January 2010 1100100.0
Sheffield Wednesday (caretaker) England 3 February 2011 4 February 2011 0000
Nottingham Forest (caretaker) England 2 October 2011 15 October 2011 10010.0
Nottingham Forest (caretaker) England 5 February 2013 11 February 2013 10010.0
West Bromwich Albion (caretaker) England 29 December 2014 1 January 2015 10100.0

References

  1. "Ex-Foxes boss joins Preston team". BBC Sport. 25 May 2007.
  2. Struggling Preston sack Simpson
  3. PA (3 February 2011). "Sheffield Wednesday sack manager Alan Irvine". The Independent (London). Retrieved 3 February 2011.
  4. "Owls duo depart". Sheffield Wednesday F.C. 9 February 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2011.
  5. 5.0 5.1 http://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10308~2847468,00.html
  6. "Sean O'Driscoll appointed new Nottingham Forest manager". BBC Sport (BBC). 19 July 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  7. "Alan Irvine: West Brom sack manager after Stoke defeat". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 29 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  8. Liew, Jonathan (1 January 2015). "West Ham 1 West Bromwich Albion 1, match report: Saido Berahino equalises as Tony Pulis watches from the stands". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  9. "Tony Pulis confirmed as new West Brom head coach". The Daily Telegraph. 1 January 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2015.

External links