Jimmy Kelly (footballer, born 1973)

James Kelly (born 14 February 1973) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder for several clubs in The Football League before his career was disrupted when he was convicted of manslaughter in 1996. After his release he played for a succession of non-league and Welsh Premier League teams.

Jimmy Kelly
Personal information
Full name James Kelly
Date of birth (1973-02-14) 14 February 1973
Place of birth Liverpool, England
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1992 Wrexham 21 (0)
1992–1996 Wolverhampton Wanderers 7 (0)
1993 → Walsall (loan) 10 (2)
1994 → Wrexham (loan) 9 (0)
1998–2000 Hednesford Town 30 (0)
2000–2002 Doncaster Rovers 62 (4)
2002–2003 Chester City 32 (1)
2003–2004 Scarborough 30 (2)
2004–2005 Morecambe 29 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Kelly began his career as an apprentice with Wrexham, making his Football League debut during the 1990–91 season.[1] After 17 league appearances for the Welsh side, Kelly moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers in February 1992 as part of an exchange deal involving John Paskin.[1]

His spell at Molineux included loan spells with Walsall and back at Wrexham,[2] but his career was thrown into jeopardy on 5 September 1994 when he and two other men were charged with the murder of 26-year-old Peter Dunphy, who died from injuries suffered in a brawl outside a hotel in Liverpool.[3] The case came to court more than a year later and on 6 February 1996 Kelly was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to five years in prison.[4]

He returned to playing on his release from prison in 1998 when, after a short spell at Bury,[1] he joined Nationwide Conference side Hednesford Town and became a popular player in his two years at Keys Park.[1] In 2000, he moved to Doncaster Rovers for an undisclosed fee,[1] where he remained until being released at the end of the 2001–02 season and joined fellow Conference side Chester City. He helped the club reach the play–offs in his one season at the club before a loan deal at Scarborough was made permanent in October 2003.[5] He became club captain, leading the side to an FA Cup fourth round tie with Chelsea the following January.[6]

Spells with Morecambe and Lancaster City followed before Kelly moved to Droylsden in December 2006 and helped the Bloods win the Conference North title.[7] He then moved to Rhyl, although he missed much of his first season at the club due to a knee injury.[8] He signed for Conference North club Fleetwood Town on 31 December 2008, before playing at Colwyn Bay during the 2009–10 season, where he helped his team win promotion to the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League. Just days before the 2010–11 season started Kelly joined another Northern Premier League side, Ashton United, making his full debut away at Colwyn Bay.[9]

In July 2011 he joined Nantwich Town.[10]

In September 2011 he joined Congleton Town. In June 2012 he joined Welsh club Conwy United as player/ coach.[11]

References
  1. "Jimmy Kelly". doncasterovers.co.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
  2. "Ultimate Saddlers A–Z (see last entry on page)". Walsall FC Official Website. Archived from the original on 5 February 2011. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
  3. "Wolves footballer charged with murder".
  4. "Footballer jailed for fatal head kick".
  5. "Kelly joins Seadogs". chester-city.co.uk. 15 October 2003. Archived from the original on 31 May 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
  6. Stewart, Rob (15 January 2004). "Tie keeps Scarborough afloat". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
  7. "Club pen pics". thelilywhites.co.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
  8. "Kelly setback is a blow for Rhyl". Daily Post. 19 January 2008. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
  9. "Clinical Finishing Secures Second Win". Ashton United FC Sport. 24 August 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  10. "Football: Striker Shotton signs up for Rangers revolution". The Sentinel. 5 July 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  11. "Veteran Kelly joins Conwy as player-coach". Welsh Premier League. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
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