Gary Kelly (footballer born 1974)
Gary Oliver Kelly (born 9 July 1974 in Drogheda ) is a former Irish football player. As a right-back who could also be used in the midfield, he was throughout his professional career at Leeds United. He also earned 52 caps for the Irish national team and was in 1994 in the U.S. and 2002 in Japan and South Korea each part of the Irish squad.
Sports career
Club career
The youngest of thirteen family members Gary Kelly was educated in Dublin " football forge" Home Farm and in July 1991 he moved from there to England to Leeds United. He acted initially as a striker, and after just 15 minutes experience in the reserve team, he came on 8 October 1991 in the League Cup against Scunthorpe United by Substitutes as a winger for his competitive debut. Apart from other brief appearances - including two in the championship season in 1991/92, which was not sufficient for obtaining an official champion medal - it was not until the 1993/94 season in which coach Howard Wilkinson Kelly's talent in the role of attacking right-back saw and him on the opening day against Manchester City (1-1) first convened in the starting lineup. With its strengths, which were evident in the speed and great endurance, he quickly conquered a regular place and benefited from long-term injury to the veteran Mel Sterland. The rise was so rapid that it is not missed one of 42 league games and even then traveled with the Irish national team for the World Cup in the United States. In the following season 1994/95 he completed all Premier League matches, where he established himself increasingly defensively and offensively as a man-marker with edges. The scoring, however, was not one of his strengths and he remained its third season in 1995/96 as a regular force without competitive goal, before this regard in the 1996/97 season scored the first (and only) two league goals - first against Southampton FC (2: 0 ) and then a free kick against West Ham United ( 2-0).
In the 1997/98 season, Kelly moved mostly in the right midfield and during the absence of Lucas Radebe at the African Cup of Nations, he helped in central defense from. With now 200 competitive games than just equipped 23- year-old, he extended his contract until mid-2002. Due to a shin syndrome he missed the entire 1998/99 season and after recovery seemed at the beginning of the season 1999/2000 initially no place in the starting eleven for to exist him, because shortly before Danny Mills had been committed for four million pounds. Within a short time Kelly won, however, these internal competition (also favored by some unfortunate actions of Mills ) and his performances were so convincing that six years after his sporting breakthrough for the second time in the Erstligamannschaft of the Year ( "PFA Team of the Year" ), he was chosen. Although he had now lost his speed, he managed to convince him often with good positional sense and anticipation skills. More injury problems ensured in the 2000 /01 season but that now form the stronger Mills after the turn of the space on the right side of defense reconquered again. This remained for Kelly now on only the occasional place at right midfield or as a replacement for Mills left. The moments of happiness - as his preparation for the 2-1 victory of Harry Kewell against Blackburn Rovers - although remained scarce, but submitted that he his chances for the upcoming 2002 World Cup, not playful in the Irish national team.
Despite some speculation regarding a transfer to clubs such as Celtic or Sunderland AFC Kelly remained in Leeds. After his ten-year affiliation had been rewarded the club with a charity match in aid of his cancer foundation ( in remembrance of the died in 1998 at the age of only 35 years sister) in the summer of 2002, he came from November 2002 onwards often in the starting eleven for use before it a violation threw back again in March 2003. In the 2003 /04 season, he benefited from the fact that Mills was a year on loan at Middlesbrough FC and therefore he was allowed to occupy the vacant right-back position. In the result of financial problems increasingly revitalized team, the descent into a disappointing season in the second division, it was his experience of increasing value. In the Football League Championship, he successfully defended itself against competitors Frazer Richardson and at times he took Paul Butler as captain. During the season he reached the 500 - game mark as a compulsory tenth Active of the Association; at the same time he was the first player outside of the " era of Don Revie ", which this was done and at the end ( now in the second division ) nominated him the players' union PFA one more time in the Team of the Year.
After the 2006/ 07 season Kelly ended his active career. Shortly before, he had been staying with the club as Table the second division in the third division. He had defended his place on the right side only in the first three months, but after weak overall performances of the team he stayed after the game against FC Barnsley outside before. He graduated a few appearances for the reserve team, but there was not considered fit enough in the fight to avoid relegation to be a help. At the last home game against Ipswich Town, which sealed the descent and ended with a space storm, he was officially adopted. In total he played 531 appearances for Leeds United, many of them on the side of his nephew Ian Harte.
Irish national
Prior to his sporting breakthrough in Leeds Kelly had their first experience in the Irish U -21 and after his debut there on 17 November 1992 by Substitutes against the Spanish junior kicker ( 1:2 ) in the European Championship qualifying for the first time on 9 March 1993 in the starting lineup against Germany (0-1) standing in the same competition. After he had risen suddenly in the 1993/94 season to the root rights defenders at Leeds United, promoted him Jack Charlton promptly into the first team. Only shortly after the debut against Russia in March 1994, and a gate to a 2-0 friendly win over Germany in Hanover on May 29, 1994, he went to the United States with the World Cup finals in 1994. There he came in the third group game against Norway ( 0-0) and at 0-2 Achtelfinalaus against the Netherlands for use.
He remained in the next two years a constant in the Irish team before he was once something of a surprise not nominated after the coaching change to Mick McCarthy in 1996, but then be at different positions in Leeds due to its consistently good performance in the 1997/98 season comeback. Despite further setbacks caused by a serious injury in 1998/ 99 and the trunk space loss at Leeds after the turn of the millennium, he also belonged to the Irish squad at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. There he was a regular player and graduated up to his coach after 55 minutes to his 50th game in the second round against Spain, which was later lost on penalties. Following two further appearances in the European Championship qualifier he ended his international career after a 1-2 defeat against Switzerland.
Title / Awards
- PFA Team of the Year ( 3): 1993 /94 ( 1st Division ), 1999 /2000 ( 1st Division ), 2005 /06 ( 2nd Division )