Gary Kelly

Kelly, the youngest of a family of 13, originally started playing football as a striker, and was reasonably successful in this position for Home Farm. However, when he joined Leeds, then boss Howard Wilkinson recognised qualities in him that would make a very good wing-back. Kelly made his debut for Leeds in the 1991–92 season, although he did not become a regular in the side until the 1993–94 season, when Wilkinson made him his first choice right-back following the injury-induced retirement of Mel Sterland, occasionally filing in at centre back when needed. He had played just twice in the 1991–92 season, when Leeds were champions of the last old Football League First Division before the FA Premier League was created, and did not qualify for a title winner's medal. He was selected in the Premier League team of the season for the 1993–94 campaign. By the end of that season, he had also played himself into Jack Charlton's Republic of Ireland squad that went to the 1994 World Cup in the USA. Kelly was one of the "Three Amigos" alongside Phil Babb and Jason McAteer whose youthful exuberance rejuvenated an ageing Irish squad. Kelly scored in a 2–0 victory over Germany in a warm-up friendly before those finals. Kelly was installed by George Graham as his skipper in the 1997–98 season, at the age of 23. Kelly was generally a regular either at right back or right midfield in every subsequent season he played for Leeds, except for 1998–99, when shin splints ruined his season (this…

Kelly scored three goals in the 1992 UEFA European Under-18 Football Championship qualifiers and won 52 international caps playing for the Republic of Ireland scoring two goals, before his retirement from international football. He represented them at both the 1994 FIFA World Cup and 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Club

International

Scores and results list Ireland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kelly goal.

Kelly is the uncle of fellow Irish international and Leeds teammate Ian Harte. Kelly and Harte were both part of Ireland's 2002 World Cup squad. Kelly was also regarded amongst the Leeds squad as being a prankster and joker, having pulled several different stunts, including wearing Nicky Byrne of Westlife's clothes for a training session when Byrne had got changed to join in with the training session. Byrne used to be part of the youth team set up at Leeds United during the mid-1990s, and is a friend of Kelly.