Eddie Kelly
Encyclopedia
Edward Patrick "Eddie" Kelly (born February 7, 1951 in Glasgow
) is a Scottish
former football
player.
Kelly played for local side Possilpark, before moving south to join English
club Arsenal
as an apprentice in July 1966; he turned professional 18 months later. A regular in the reserves and for Scotland
U-23 side, he made his debut for Arsenal on 6 September 1969 against Sheffield Wednesday
and quickly made a name for himself. He made 16 appearances in the 1969–70 season
, including scoring a goal in the Gunners' 4–3 aggregate win over Anderlecht
in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
final.
Better was to come the next season for the young central midfield
er. Kelly made 34 appearances as Arsenal won the Double
; he came on as a substitute in the FA Cup
final against Liverpool
, and scored the Gunners' equaliser in extra time in a goalmouth scramble (George Graham
made a claim for the goal, but the replays show Kelly was the last Arsenal player to touch the ball); Kelly was the first substitute ever to score in a Cup final. Charlie George
scored soon after to win the match 2–1.
Injury hampered Kelly's next two seasons at Arsenal, but he became a near-ever present in 1974–75
. He was made club captain at the age of 23; only Tony Adams
has captained Arsenal at a younger age. However, Kelly lost his place the following season and became quite unsettled. After making a transfer request, he joined Queens Park Rangers
in September 1976, having played 222 times for Arsenal.
Kelly spent only a single season at QPR before being signed for Leicester City
by former Arsenal teammate Frank McLintock
in the summer of 1977. He spent three seasons at Filbert Street
, playing 119 times and scoring 3 goals. Leicester were relegated to the Second Division
in 1979 but then returned to the top flight as champions the following year. He went on to have short spells at Notts County
, Bournemouth
and Torquay United
, before retiring. He now lives in Torquay
, and works for a double glazing firm.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
) is a Scottish
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...
former football
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...
player.
Kelly played for local side Possilpark, before moving south to join English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
club Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
as an apprentice in July 1966; he turned professional 18 months later. A regular in the reserves and for Scotland
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...
U-23 side, he made his debut for Arsenal on 6 September 1969 against Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
and quickly made a name for himself. He made 16 appearances in the 1969–70 season
1969-70 in English football
The 1969–70 season was the 90th season of competitive football in England.-First Division:Everton won their seventh title, finishing nine points clear of Leeds United with Chelsea in third and newly promoted Derby County in fourth...
, including scoring a goal in the Gunners' 4–3 aggregate win over Anderlecht
R.S.C. Anderlecht
Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht or RSCA , is a Belgian professional football club based in Anderlecht in the Brussels Capital Region. Anderlecht plays in the Belgian Pro League and is the most successful Belgian football team in European competitions as well as in the...
in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was a European football competition played between 1955 and 1971. The competition was the idea of Swiss pools supremo Ernst Thommen, Ottorino Barassi from Italy, and the English Football Association general secretary Stanley Rous, all of whom later became senior officials...
final.
Better was to come the next season for the young central midfield
Midfield
Midfield is the part of a sports pitch that lies approximately in the center. It is a term most commonly associated with football to refer to the area in and around the center circle, as well as the players who occupy that region, but it can be used in field hockey to describe the same area, or in...
er. Kelly made 34 appearances as Arsenal won the Double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
; he came on as a substitute in the 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...
final against 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...
, and scored the Gunners' equaliser in extra time in a goalmouth scramble (George Graham
George Graham (footballer)
George Graham is a Scottish former football player and manager. He is best remembered for his success at Arsenal, as a player in the 1970s and then as manager from 1986 until 1995.-Early life:...
made a claim for the goal, but the replays show Kelly was the last Arsenal player to touch the ball); Kelly was the first substitute ever to score in a Cup final. Charlie George
Charlie George
Charles Frederick "Charlie" George is an English former footballer. He played as a forward in the Football League and he was also capped by England.-Arsenal:...
scored soon after to win the match 2–1.
Injury hampered Kelly's next two seasons at Arsenal, but he became a near-ever present in 1974–75
1974-75 in English football
The 1974–75 season was the 95th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Dave Mackay guided Derby County to their second league title in four years having overcome strong competition from Liverpool, Ipswich Town, Everton, Stoke City, Manchester City, Sheffield United and...
. He was made club captain at the age of 23; only Tony Adams
Tony Adams (footballer)
Tony Alexander Adams, MBE is an English football manager and former player.Adams spent his entire playing career of 22 years as a defender at Arsenal. He is considered one of the greatest Arsenal players of all time by the club's own fans and was included in the Football League 100 Legends...
has captained Arsenal at a younger age. However, Kelly lost his place the following season and became quite unsettled. After making a transfer request, he joined Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
in September 1976, having played 222 times for Arsenal.
Kelly spent only a single season at QPR before being signed for Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
by former Arsenal teammate Frank McLintock
Frank McLintock
Francis "Frank" McLintock MBE is a Scottish former football defender who played for Leicester City, Arsenal and QPR.-Leicester City:...
in the summer of 1977. He spent three seasons at Filbert Street
Filbert Street
Filbert Street, in Leicester, England, was a football stadium, and the home of Leicester City from 1891 to 2002. Although officially titled "The City Business Stadium" in the early 1990s, it remained known almost exclusively by its address, like many English football stadia.- Early years :The club,...
, playing 119 times and scoring 3 goals. Leicester were relegated to the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
in 1979 but then returned to the top flight as champions the following year. He went on to have short spells at Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
, Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
and Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
, before retiring. He now lives in Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
, and works for a double glazing firm.