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Note: There has been more than one player with the same name to play for Celtic. So please check the other namesakes if need be.
Personal
Fullname: Francis David Kelly
aka: Frank Kelly, Francis Kelly
Born: 8 Dec 1892
Died: 5 May 1919
Birthplace: Glasgow
Signed: Feb 1913 (trial); 1914 (on tour); Feb 1918 (loan)
Position: Outside-Right
Debut: Queen’s Park 0-2 Celtic, League, 2 Feb 1918
Internationals: none
Biog
He had previously been on tour with Celtic to Germany just prior to the start of WW1, and may have played in matches in Leipzig and Berlin.
Said to be quick, fast, had a great shot and was a good crosser of the ball.
Frank Kelly made his debut at Hampden as Celtic defeated Queen’s Park 2-0 in a league clash on 2nd February 1918.
He made a further league appearance in September 1918, in a 3-1 win over Third Lanark, a season where Celtic regained the league title.
However, beyond that he was to make only several appearances in minor cup competitions for the Hoops. He was in the Celtic sides that won the War Shield v Morton in 1918 and won the Charity Cup against Partick Thistle.
Tragically, after returning to the army he was to die on 5 May 1919 from injuries sustained in a train crash in post-war France. Private 53182 is buried in Loiret France. He was only 27 years of age.
We shall never know, but maybe if events had taken another turn and this tragic accident had not occurred, then Frank Kelly could have gone on to play a part in the future make-up of the management of the club. His younger brother, Bob Kelly, in time became the Celtic chairman, and that position could very likely have been taken by Frank Kelly if he had lived on. The history of Celtic could have then turned out to be very different, but hopefully it would still have been a very positive & successful one.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES | LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 1918 | 2 | – | – | – | 2 |
| Goals: | 0 | – | – | – | 0 |
Honours with Celtic
Pictures
Links
Born in Glasgow on the 8th December 1892, Frank Kelly was an outside right who was a fine dribbler, quick and possessed accurate crossing ability.
He actually had a connection to Celtic as he was the eldest son of legendary centre half James Kelly, his mother Margaret was of course the daughter of one of the club’s founders and most notably his younger brother Sir Robert Kelly would serve as chairman for many years. A number of his brothers were also footballers who played for Queen’s Park. Frank joined Motherwell in 1915 from Junior outfit Blantyre Vics, in four years at Fir Park he played in 83 league games scoring 16 goals, he also had a loan spell with both Hamilton Academical and Celtic, but his career had been somewhat interrupted by the ongoing conflicts of World War One.
Francis David Kelly had served the Cameronians as private 53182 throughout the war years, but tragically he would lose his life in post war France where on the 5th May 1919 in Montagris he was involved in a accident, he was running to catch a moving train and while trying to jump onto it he missed and landed under it and the injuries he sustained were just too great. He was only 27 years old.
Record at Motherwell FC
(Thanks to @steelmenhistory)
At Fir Park
1915-16 playing 36 of 38 League games, scoring 9 goals.
1916-17, 35 of 38 games, 7 goals.
1917-18, 12 of 34 games, 1 goal.
1918-19, 3 of 34, 2 goals.
1919-20, 9 of 42, 1 goal.
