Alan Kelly Jr.

Alan Thomas Kelly (born 11 August 1968) is a former professional footballer who is currently goalkeeper coach at Everton. He played as a goalkeeper for Preston North End, Sheffield United and Blackburn Rovers, along with short loan spells at Stockport County and Birmingham City. Born in Preston, Kelly represented the Republic of Ireland internationally, winning 34 caps for his country. Both his father, Alan Kelly Sr., who also represented Ireland, and older brother, Gary Kelly, played as goalkeepers.

For other people with the same name, see Alan Kelly.

Alan Kelly Jr.
Kelly in 2013
Personal information
Full name Alan Thomas Kelly[1]
Date of birth (1968-08-11) 11 August 1968[1]
Place of birth Preston,[1] England
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Everton (goalkeeper coach)
Youth career
– Preston North End
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1985–1992 Preston North End 142 (0)
1992–1999 Sheffield United 214 (0)
1999–2004 Blackburn Rovers 39 (0)
2001 → Stockport County (loan) 2 (0)
2001 → Birmingham City (loan) 6 (0)
Total 403 (0)
International career
1990 Republic of Ireland U23 1 (0)
1993–2002 Republic of Ireland 34 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Kelly started his career at Preston North End in the Fourth Division, following the footsteps of his father, Alan Kelly Sr., and played 142 League games for the team.

He joined Sheffield United in July 1992 for £150,000. Kelly stayed with Sheffield United until 1999, despite their relegation from the Premiership shortly into his career with them. In total, he made 213 appearances for the Blades. He helped Sheffield United to the 1997-98 FA Cup semi finals at Old Trafford where they were defeated by Newcastle United. In the quarter final replay against Coventry City, the game went to a penalty shootout and Kelly saved from Dion Dublin, Simon Haworth and David Burrows to help his side progress.[3]

In 1999, Kelly transferred to Blackburn Rovers, making 39 appearances, and stayed there until his retirement from football in 2004. This time also included loan spells at Stockport County and Birmingham City. He made more than 470 appearances in all competitions at club level.[4]

International career

Kelly won 34 caps for the Republic of Ireland, and was a member of the Republic's 1994 and 2002 World Cup squads. He was the team's second-choice goalkeeper on both occasions (behind Packie Bonner and Shay Given respectively), and never played in a World Cup game. In 1999 he was named as FAI Senior International Player of the Year.[5]

Later career

In the summer of 2006, Kelly was goalkeeping coach for the Soccer-Academy camps, located in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania in the United States.

He is the goalkeeping coach at Everton F.C.[6]

After spending 18 months at Preston North End's Centre of Excellence Kelly became the new goalkeeping coach following the dismissal of Phil Brown and appointment of David Unsworth as caretaker manager.[7] He left the post in August 2017. In October, he linked up again with Unsworth, who was the newly appointed caretaker manager of Premier League club Everton.[8] In December 2019 he joined John Ebbrell and Francis Jeffers as the coaching team supporting caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson, who took over Evertons first team, after Marco Silva was sacked on 5 December.[9]

Honours

Blackburn Rovers

Individual

See also

References
  1. "Alan Kelly Jr". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  2. Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 298. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
  3. "Kelly displays Sheffield steel as Blades advance". independent.ie. 18 March 1998. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  4. "Kelly hangs up gloves". BBC Sport. 5 March 2004. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  5. "Injury rules out McPhail". independent. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  6. "Centre of Excellence". Preston North End F.C. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  7. "Alan Kelly". BBC Sport. 21 December 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  8. Seddon, Dave (24 October 2017). "Former PNE coach Alan Kelly joins Everton". Lancashire Evening Post. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  9. "Everton coaching team for Chelsea fixture confirmed". Everton Football Club. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
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