Graham Kelly (footballer, born 1997)

Graham Kelly (born 16 October 1997) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for NIFL Premiership club Coleraine. He has represented the Republic of Ireland at under-18 and under-19 level.

For other people named Graham Kelly, see Graham Kelly (disambiguation).

Graham Kelly
Personal information
Full name Graham Kelly[1]
Date of birth (1997-10-16) 16 October 1997[2]
Place of birth Dublin, Republic of Ireland[2]
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[3]
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 Coleraine
Number 5
Youth career
2014–2015 Sheffield United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2017 Sheffield United 1 (0)
2016 → Stalybridge Celtic (loan) 9 (0)
2017–2018 Port Vale 0 (0)
2017 → Bradford Park Avenue (loan) 10 (1)
2018 → Southport (loan) 11 (0)
2018–2023 Larne[lower-alpha 1] 93 (1)
2023– Coleraine 9 (0)
International career
2014–2015 Republic of Ireland U18 4 (0)
2015 Republic of Ireland U19 4 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 October 2023

Kelly began his career at Sheffield United, where he made his senior debut in April 2016. He played on loan at Stalybridge Celtic later in the year, before he was transferred to Port Vale in June 2017. He played on loan at Bradford Park Avenue and Southport during the 2017–18 season. He joined Northern Irish side Larne in August 2018 and helped the club to win the NIFL Championship title in 2018–19 and the County Antrim Shield in the 2020–21 season. They retained the County Antrim Shield the following two seasons. Larne won the Irish League for the first time in the 2022–23 season. He joined Coleraine in June 2023.

Club career

Sheffield United

Kelly came through the Academy at Sheffield United to make his senior debut for the "Blades" as a late substitute for Matt Done in a 3–1 defeat to Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena on 30 April 2016.[4] He joined Stalybridge Celtic of the National League North on loan in August 2016.[5] He made ten appearances for the "Celts" over a five-week stay at Bower Fold.[6]

Port Vale

Kelly signed a one-year contract, with the option for a second year, at newly-relegated EFL League Two club Port Vale in June 2017.[7] He said he was looking forward to working with manager Michael Brown and being reunited with former Sheffield United coach Chris Morgan.[8] On 8 September 2017, he joined National League North side Bradford Park Avenue on a one-month loan after manager Mark Bower needed cover for the injured Shane Killock, Matt Hill and Luca Havern.[9] He scored his first goal in senior football in his final appearance for Avenue, after combining well with Oli Johnson in a 2–0 win over Brackley Town at the Horsfall Stadium.[10] On 26 January 2018, he joined Kevin Davies's National League North side Southport on loan until the end of the 2017–18 season.[11] He recovered from a car accident on the M6 motorway to make a total of 11 appearances for the "Sandgrounders".[12] Upon his return to Vale Park he was informed by manager Neil Aspin that he would not be retained beyond the summer.[13]

Larne

On 2 August 2018, Kelly joined NIFL Championship side Larne.[14] He established himself in the side as a left-sided centre back in the club's favoured three at the back formation, as Larne went on to win the 2018–19 NIFL Championship. He made 27 appearances before the 2019–20 season was ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland.[15] On 2 December 2020, he played in the County Antrim Shield as Larne held Glentoran to a 0–0 draw and then won the resulting penalty shoot-out 4–3 to win the club its first major trophy in 33 years.[16] He scored his first goal for the club on 11 December, "a stunning curler into the top corner" in a 3–1 win over Linfield at Inver Park.[17] He made 20 appearances in the 2020–21 campaign, helping Larne to finish in a UEFA Europa Conference League qualification place.[18] He signed a contract extension to keep him at the club until 2023.[19] Larne retained their County Antrim Shield title with a 1–0 win over Linfield.[20] He played 30 games in the 2021–22 season, including the 4–2 win over Glentoran at The Oval in the final of the UEFA Europa Conference League play-offs.[18][21] A third successive County Antrim Shield title was secured with a penalty shoot-out victory over Linfield.[22] Larne won the first Irish League title of their 134-year history in the 2022–23 season.[23] He left the club at the expiry of his contract in order to find first-team football elsewhere.[24]

Coleraine

Kelly signed a three-year deal with Coleraine on 14 June 2023.[25]

International career

Kelly won four caps at for the Republic of Ireland at both under-18 and under-19 level, and scored for the under-19s against Latvia in November 2015.[26]

Career statistics
As of match played 21 April 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season Division League National Cup League Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Sheffield United 2015–16[27] League One 1000000010
2016–17[28] League One 0000001[lower-alpha 2]010
Total 1000001020
Stalybridge Celtic (loan) 2016–17[18][29] National League North 90100000100
Port Vale 2017–18[30] League Two 0000000000
Bradford Park Avenue (loan) 2017–18[18] National League North 101100000111
Southport (loan) 2017–18[18] National League North 110000000110
Larne 2018–19[18] NIFL Championship 20000020
2019–20[18] NIFL Premiership 250101000270
2020–21[18] NIFL Premiership 191100000201
2021–22[18] NIFL Premiership 280200000300
2022–23[18] NIFL Premiership 210201000240
Total[lower-alpha 1] 9318020001031
Coleraine 2023–24[18] NIFL Premiership 0000000000
Career total 124210020101472
  1. League statistics for Larne in the 2018–19 campaign not known.
  2. Appearance in the EFL Trophy

Honours

Larne

References
  1. Graham Kelly at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  2. "FootballSquads - Port Vale - 2017/2018". www.footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  3. "FootballSquads – Port Vale – 2017/2018". www.footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  4. "Coventry City 3–1 Sheffield United". BBC Sport. 30 April 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  5. "Three of United's development squad will spend a month out on-loan in non-league in a bid for regular first-team football". sufc.co.uk. 16 August 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  6. "Stalybridge Celtic – Official Site – Player Profile Graham Kelly". www.stalybridgeceltic.co.uk. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  7. Baggaley, Mike (22 June 2017). "Port Vale sign Sheffield United left back Graham Kelly". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  8. Baggaley, Mike (22 June 2017). "Kelly targets Port Vale first team after Sheffield United move". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  9. "Kelly Joins Bradford On Loan". Bradford Park Avenue Community Football Club. 9 September 2017. Archived from the original on 28 September 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  10. "A game of two halves as excellent Avenue see off Brackley". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 21 November 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  11. "Graham Kelly joins Southport on loan". port-vale.co.uk. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  12. Baggaley, Michael (26 March 2018). "Port Vale defender Graham Kelly okay after motorway accident". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  13. "Port Vale: Neil Aspin releases 10 players from struggling League Two club". BBC Sport. 8 May 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  14. "Latest News | Larne Football Club". www.larnefootballclub.co.uk. Archived from the original on 3 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  15. "Irish Premiership: Season curtailed and mathematical formula to decide final standings". BBC. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  16. Hanna, Gareth (2 December 2020). "Larne win County Antrim Shield to end 33 year trophy wait as hometown man Jeff Hughes nets decisive penalty". belfasttelegraph. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  17. Fullerton, Darren (11 December 2020). "Larne edge four points clear at top of league table". BelfastLive. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  18. Graham Kelly at Soccerway
  19. Fullerton, Darren (2 January 2021). "From facing Joe Cole to the Irish League, Kelly's loving life at Larne". BelfastLive. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  20. Sterling, Mark (11 January 2022). "Co Antrim Shield: Impressive Larne see off Linfield in gripping final to retain trophy". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  21. "LARNE COMEBACK SECURES EURO DREAM AGAIN!". NI Football League. 13 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  22. "Larne win Shield after injury-delayed shootout". BBC Sport. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  23. "Larne secure historic first Irish League title". BBC Sport. BBC. 14 April 2023.
  24. McNabb, Johnny (20 May 2023). "Larne to lose the services of Graham Kelly and Fuad Sule after trophy laden five-year spell at Inver Park". Belfast News Letter. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  25. McNabb, Johnny (14 June 2023). "Coleraine land 'impressive' Graham Kelly as Bannsiders seal the deal for former Larne defender". News Letter. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  26. "Welcome To Port Vale – Graham Kelly". port-vale.co.uk. 22 June 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  27. "Games played by Graham Kelly in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  28. "Games played by Graham Kelly in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  29. "Stalybridge Celtic – Official Site – Player Profile Graham Kelly". www.stalybridgeceltic.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  30. "Games played by Graham Kelly in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  31. "Co Antrim Shield final result: Larne beat Glentoran on penalties". BBC Sport. 2 December 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
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