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Personal

Fullname: Patrick Kelly
aka: Paddy Kelly
Born: 26 April 1978
Birthplace: Kirkcaldy
Signed: 1995 (senior terms)
Height: 6' 2'' (187cm)
Position: Right-back, Central defender
Internationals: Scotland U18

Biog

Kirkcaldy-born Paddy Kelly made a single appearance for Celtic after progressing through the Parkhead youth ranks. That came under caretaker boss Billy Stark, in the 1996-97 dead rubber against Dundee United on 10 May 1997. Regular right-back Jackie McNamara was suspended.

A tall centre-half or galloping right-back, versatile Kelly could also play in midfield. He captained the U18s to success in the Glasgow Cup and Youth Cup then stepped up to become a regular in the reserves.

The youngster had signed senior terms with the Bhoys in 1995 but by summer 1997 he had knocked back the offer of another one-year deal to make a surprise switch to Newcastle United, who offered two years. Tommy Burns, Kelly's manager at Celtic, had just moved to Newcastle as coach to Kenny Dalglish. Dalglish knew Kelly as the captain of the Celtic youth team which had also contained his son Paul. Newcastle needed players after reinstating their reserves - which Kevin Keegan had previously scrapped - though many questioned Dalglish's bizarre policy of signing his mates: the over-the-hill Barnes and Rush as well as his son Paul.

When Burns got the Reading job in March 1998 he took Kelly on a month's loan and gave him another brief taste of first-team football.

With Dalglish replaced by Gullit at Newcastle, Kelly returned north in 1999 and joined Livingston on a free transfer. He made 32 league appearances for Livingston before moving to Raith Rovers in February 2001. After seven league appearances for the Kirkcaldy club, Firhill was his next port of call in summer 2001. Paddy made 10 appearances for Partick Thistle before being freed in 2002 and joining East Fife in 2003, after a year out of the game. Since his first season at Livingston, Kelly's efforts had been undermined by a persistent back injury.

He made 25 league appearances for the Methil club before moving to neighbours Cowdenbeath in 2004 after another six-month injury layoff. In his stay at Central Park he only had two league appearances for the Blue Brazilians. In 2005 Paddy took up a coaching role with junior side Newburgh United.

Playing Career

Honours

None.

Pictures

• Youth team line-up 1994-95
• Youth team line-up 1995-96
• Youth team line-up 1996-97