Bob Kelso (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Robert "Bob" Robison Kelso (2 October 1865 – 10 August 1942) was a Scottish
footballer
who played for Renton
, Newcastle West End F.C., Preston North End
, Everton
, Dundee
, Bedminster Town F.C. and the Scotland national team
. He briefly guested for Liverpool
in the Lancashire League
in 1892.
Kelso, a defender
, was born in Cardross
, Dunbartonshire
, and began his football career with Renton where he won the Scottish Cup
in 1885 and 1888 and played in the unsuccessful 1886 final. He also won the Champions of the World title in 1888 when Scottish Cup winners Renton defeated English FA Cup
winners West Bromwich Albion
.
He moved to Newcastle West End in 1888 and then to Preston North End the following year. With Preston he won the English Football League
championship in 1889-90
before moving to Everton in 1891 where he played in the 1893 FA Cup Final. He returned to his native Scotland in 1896 with Dundee, where he earned selection for the Scottish League
representative team, before ending his career with a brief spell at Bedminster Town.
He won 7 caps
for Scotland, making his debut in a 8-2 win over Ireland
on 14 March 1885. He captained his country in his final Scotland appearance - a 3-0 win over Ireland on 26 March 1898.
Kelso's nephew, Thomas, was also a Scotland international footballer, who played for Manchester City
, Dundee
and Rangers
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played for Renton
Renton F.C.
Renton Football Club was a prominent team in the early history of Scottish football. The club was based in the village of Renton, West Dunbartonshire...
, Newcastle West End F.C., Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
, Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
, Bedminster Town F.C. and the Scotland national team
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. He briefly guested for Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in the Lancashire League
Lancashire League (football)
The Lancashire League has been the name of two separate football competitions for clubs based in northern England.-Lancashire League :...
in 1892.
Kelso, a defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
, was born in Cardross
Cardross
Cardross is a large village with a population of 2,351 in Scotland, on the north side of the Firth of Clyde, situated halfway between Dumbarton and Helensburgh. Cardross is in the historic geographical county of Dunbartonshire but the modern political local authority of Argyll and Bute...
, Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton is a lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Until 1975 it was a county used as a primary unit of local government with its county town and administrative centre at the town...
, and began his football career with Renton where he won the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
in 1885 and 1888 and played in the unsuccessful 1886 final. He also won the Champions of the World title in 1888 when Scottish Cup winners Renton defeated English FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
winners West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
.
He moved to Newcastle West End in 1888 and then to Preston North End the following year. With Preston he won the English Football League
English football champions
The English football champions are the winners of the highest league in English football, which is currently the Premier League. Teams in bold are those who won the double of League Championship and FA Cup, or the European Double of League Championship and European Cup in that season.Following the...
championship in 1889-90
1889-90 in English football
The 1889–90 season was the 19th season of competitive football in England. Preston North End were Football League champions for the second successive season while The Wednesday finished top of the newly formed Football Alliance. Blackburn Rovers won the FA Cup....
before moving to Everton in 1891 where he played in the 1893 FA Cup Final. He returned to his native Scotland in 1896 with Dundee, where he earned selection for the Scottish League
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
representative team, before ending his career with a brief spell at Bedminster Town.
He won 7 caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for Scotland, making his debut in a 8-2 win over Ireland
Ireland national football team (IFA)
The Ireland national football team represented Ireland at association football, it was organised by the Irish FA , and is the fourth oldest international team in the world. It mainly played in the British Home Championship against England, Scotland and Wales...
on 14 March 1885. He captained his country in his final Scotland appearance - a 3-0 win over Ireland on 26 March 1898.
Kelso's nephew, Thomas, was also a Scotland international footballer, who played for Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
and Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
.