681 Tony Kelly

Biography

Attacking wideman Tony Kelly spent a month on loan at Hull City in February 1992 following nine defeats in 11 matches for Terry Dolan’s side during the winter months. City won two of the six matches Kelly started including a 1-0 victory against Huddersfield in which Tony scored the only goal.

Nyrere Anthony Okpara Kelly, mostly know as Tony, was born in Meriden just outside Coventry and was raised in the city in a large footballing family alongside his twin brother Mel. Older brother Errington was already playing for Bristol Rovers when the sixteen year old Tony was invited to a trial, but when Rovers declined to take him on he instead signed for Division Four cross-city rivals Bristol City. Kelly debuted for Bristol City against Hartlepool United in October 1982, at 16 years and 244 days old he was the Robins’ youngest debutant, a record he held for over twenty years. He remained on the fringes of the City first team for the rest of the 1982/83 season and scored his first senior goal against Hereford United in December 1982. However his poor attitude was cited as the reason for his release in the 1983 close season after seven senior appearances and one goal.

Kelly returned to the Midlands and after a short spell at Conference National side Nuneaton Borough he signed for Midland Combination side Stratford Town where he played alongside another of his brothers Abby. In March 1985 Tony signed for Isthmian League side Dulwich Hamlet, playing alongside twin brother Mel as well as future Premier League players Alan Pardew and Andy Gray. Two years later he moved to London Spartan League side Corinthian Casuals where he quickly picked up a nine month ban for shoving over a referee who had shown him a red card. Spells at North London sides Cheshunt and Enfield Town came ahead of signing for Isthmian League side St Albans City in September 1988. He spent the 1988/89 season at St Albans then spent the summer of 1989 playing in Sweden for Gimonas CK.

This move invigorated Kelly’s career and when he returned to St Albans for the 1989/90 season he attracted offers from several League clubs, eventually joining Division Two side Stoke City in January 1990. He made nine appearances for the Potters as they slipped down the table and were relegated to Division Three. Kelly was used regularly by Stoke in the third tier and scored his first senior goal for eight years when he netted in a September 1990 League Cup tie against Swansea City. Often used as an impact substitute, Kelly’s form was hampered by a lavish lifestyle but at the start of the 1991/92 season he was a regular starter prior to his loan move to Hull City. Returning to Stoke, he played in a May 1992 play-off semi-final that was lost to Stockport County, then started the Football League Trophy Final three days later against the same opponent that the Potters won 1-0, yielding Kelly his only career medal.

Kelly started the 1992/93 season back on Stoke’s sub’s bench and in November 1992 he spent a month on loan at League Division 3 side Cardiff City, making 5 appearances and scoring on his Bluebirds debut against Scunthorpe United. He played his last game for Stoke City in September 1993, taking his tally for the Potters to eight goals in 73 appearances.

In September 1993 Kelly transferred to League Division 3 side Bury and for the first time in his Football League career he became a regular first team starter. Eight goals in the 1993/94 season were followed by a further five strikes in the 1994/95 season, even though Kelly missed much of the first three months of the season. He played in both play-off semi-final legs against Preston in May 1995 but was not selected for the final that Bury lost to Colchester United. By the end of the 1994/95 season Kelly had scored 13 goals in 68 appearances for the Shakers.

Kelly transferred to League Division 3 rivals Leyton Orient in July 1995 and after one good season in the first team he drifted out of the picture in the early weeks of the 1996/97 season, having scored four goals in 47 appearances. In October 1996 he joined League Division 3 side Colchester United on loan, making three appearances, but was released from his contract shortly after he returned to Orient. In November 1996 Kelly’s English football league career drew to a close after 210 senior appearances and 28 goals. After a short spell at Scottish side Falkirk that yielded just one substitute appearance in November 1996, Kelly rejoined Isthmian League side St Albans City in January 1997. A year later in February 1998 he moved to Isthmian League side Harlow Town then South Midlands League side Arlesey Town before retiring from playing in 2000.

After football Kelly worked on the railways in London, fifteen years after his retirement he wrote a book about his playing career, his colourful lifestyle and his severe gambling habit, providing a cautionary tale for younger members of the Professional Footballers’ Association. For many years he was director of a charity offering gambling advice to footballers and spoke at conferences about gambling addictions.

Details

Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 14 February 1966, Meriden
Hull City First Game: 1 February 1992, Hartlepool United H (Division Three), 25 years, 352 days old
Hull City Final Game: 3 March 1992, Bradford City H (Division Three), 26 years, 18 days old

Clubs

Bristol City (1982-1983), Nuneaton Borough (1983), Stratford Town (1983-1985), Dulwich Hamlet (1985-1987), Corinthian Casuals (1987), Cheshunt (1987-1988), Enfield Town (1988), St Albans City (1988-1990), Gimonas CK (1989, loan), Stoke City (1990-1993), Hull City (1992, loan), Cardiff City (1992, loan), Bury (1993-1995), Leyton Orient (1995-1996), Colchester United (1996, loan), Falkirk (1996-1997), St Albans City (1997-1998), Harlow Town (1998-1999), Arlesey Town (1999-2000)

Hull City Record

Career: 6 apps, 1 goals

Tony Kelly
SeasonLGE
App
LGE
Gls
FAC
App
FAC
Gls
FLC
App
FLC
Gls
EUR
App
EUR
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OTH
App
OTH
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1991/926 (0)1

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