Club career
Reading
Kelly was born and raised in Basingstoke, [3] and joined the Reading academy aged eight. [4] [5] [6] In November 2013, Kelly signed his first professional contract with Reading, [5] [7] having previously attracted attention on YouTube for scoring impressive goals. [5] He was part of the Reading team that won the 2013–14 Under-21 Premier League Cup, having started for Reading in the second leg of the final. [8] [9]
On 12 February 2016, Kelly joined Bath City on an initial one-month loan, [10] and made his debut for the club the following day by starting in a 1–1 National League South draw with Sutton United. [11] He scored the first goal of his loan spell on 5 March, with a "curled" shot into the top corner to equalise in a 1–1 draw away to Oxford City. [12] His loan at Bath was twice extended, initially for another month on 11 March, [13] before it was extended until the end of the season on 10 April 2016. [14] Kelly scored 6 times in 16 league matches for Bath, including a brace of penalties in a 3–0 win over Hayes & Yeading United in the penultimate match of the season to ensure that Bath avoided relegation, with Bath ultimately finishing 14th. [15] [16]
In May 2016, Kelly signed a two-year contract with Reading. [17] Following the appointment of Jaap Stam as Reading manager in June 2016, who favoured a possession-based style of play, Kelly began to establish himself as a regular first-team player. [18] [19] [20] He made his debut for Reading on 23 August 2016 at home to Milton Keynes Dons in the EFL Cup, though was substituted off for George Evans in the 53rd minute after suffering a head injury. [21] He made his full league debut on 22 October 2016 away to Rotherham United, though he was substituted off for tactical reasons after 29 minutes. [22] Kelly did keep his place in the Reading starting line-up for the following match, a 2–0 EFL Cup defeat to Arsenal, [23] but did not return to the starting line-up for a league match until 13 December, where he took the place of the injured Jordan Obita for a 2–0 defeat to Leeds United. [24] After starts in Reading's following two matches, and also a start in an abandoned match against Fulham, [25] [26] Kelly signed a new contract with Reading on 30 December 2016, valid until the summer of 2019. [26] He scored his first goal for Reading in a 3–2 win against Bristol City on 2 January 2017; after coming on as a substitute with Reading 2–0 down, Kelly scored a low shot in the 72nd minute before also assisting Reading's equaliser 14 minutes later with a low cross. [27] [28] He was awarded Reading's Player of the Month award for January, [29] with manager Stam having claimed Kelly's impact on the team was "like a new signing". [20] He made 28 appearances in total across the regular Championship season as Reading finished 3rd and qualified for the play-offs. [25] [30] Kelly missed the first leg of Reading's play-off semi-final fixture against Fulham through illness but came on as a half-time substitute in the second leg as Reading won 2–1 to progress to the final against Huddersfield Town. [25] [31] With the 2017 EFL Championship play-off final goalless at the end of regular time, Kelly was introduced as a substitute in the first-half of extra time; the match finished 0–0, and despite Kelly scoring in the penalty shoot-out, Reading lost 4–3 on penalties. [32]
Kelly extended his Reading contract on 6 July 2017, signing a new three-year deal. [4] [33] Kelly scored his second and third goals for the club in a 2–0 EFL Cup win over Gillingham on 8 August 2017, [34] and scored again in a 1–1 draw with Fulham on 12 August. [35] He won the club's Player of the Month award for August 2017. [36] Kelly was in and out of the Reading first team over the 2017–18 season, with manager Stam suggesting of Kelly in February 2018 that his levels of performance had declined from the previous season as opposition teams "got to know what he can do". [37] On 24 February 2018, Kelly scored from roughly 30 yards to equalise at 1–1 in an eventual 3–3 draw with Derby County - this goal won the club's Goal of the Month award for February 2018 with 91% of fan votes. [37] [38] [39] Manager Stam was sacked on 21 March 2018, with Reading 20th in the Championship, [40] and Paul Clement was appointed as his replacement two days later. [41] Reading finished the 2017–18 season 20th, [42] having avoided relegation in the final match of the season. [43] Kelly was voted third by the club's fans for the Player of the Season award for the 2017–18 season, behind Liam Moore and Modou Barrow, [44] though Courtney Friday of the Reading Chronicle rated Kelly's season as 6/10, describing it as a "solid second season" for Kelly, but that the season as a whole was "one which every Reading FC fan, player and worker will want to forget". [45]
Kelly played in 18 of Reading's first 19 league matches of the 2018–19 season, [46] and scored once in a 3–2 win over Bristol City with a "superb strike" from 45 yards. [47] However, manager Paul Clement was sacked on 6 December, [48] and Kelly played just once for Reading between the appointment of José Gomes as manager on 22 December 2018, [49] and the end of the January transfer window, despite an "impressive performance" in his sole game, a 2–0 FA Cup defeat to Manchester United. [50] [51] Despite Kelly being out of favour under Gomes, and speculated loan interest in him during the January transfer window from Udinese, and PEC Zwolle, who were managed by Stam, Kelly remained at the club for the second half of the season "to earn a place back in Gomes' first-team plans". [51] [52] Kelly was given a start at home to Blackburn on 13 February, where he "grew into the game after a poor first half" and Reading secured an eventual 2–1 win. [53] Kelly kept his place in the starting line-up away to Sheffield United on 16 February, though was substituted off after 19 minutes with Reading 2–0 down after suffering an ankle injury, with Kelly having been "arguably at fault for [Sheffield United's] first two goals"; Reading eventually lost 4–0. [54] Following his return from this ankle injury, Kelly did not regain his place in the team, with Gomes admitting that "the reason is, remember the last time that he played". [54] Kelly did not play for the club again. [46]
Feyenoord and Oxford United
On 8 July 2019, Kelly signed for Feyenoord on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee. [55] [56] Kelly said that the decision to sign for Feyennord was "pretty easy" as he was reunited with former Reading manager Jaap Stam. [57] Kelly played twice for Feyenoord in August 2019 – once as a substitute in the Europa League against Dinamo Tbilisi and once in the Eredivisie, playing for 90 minutes against FC Utrecht. [58] [59] Stam resigned as manager in October 2019, [60] and his successor Dick Advocaat conducted training sessions in Dutch and "showed little interest in picking Kelly". [61] By January 2020, Kelly had played just 110 minutes across two matches for Feyenoord, [62] and Oxford United signed Kelly on a loan deal until the end of the 2019–20 season on 8 January 2020. [63] He made his debut for the club as a substitute against Blackpool on 1 February, and scored his first goal for the club in his second match with a free-kick in a 3–2 defeat to Newcastle United, having also come on as a substitute. [58] [64] He made his first start for Oxford on 11 February against Burton Albion, but was substituted after 20 minutes due to a hamstring injury. [65] Kelly did not play again before the postponement of the League One season in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and its curtailment in June, though as Oxford qualified for the League One play-offs, it was announced on 27 June 2020 that Kelly's loan was extended until 1 August to allow him to participate in them. [58] [66] [67] He played once for Oxford in the play-offs, coming on as a half-time substitute in the play-off final as Oxford were beaten 2–1 by Wycombe Wanderers. [58]
On 21 August 2020, Kelly's loan at Oxford United was extended for another season. [68] This loan spell allowed him to return to playing regular first-team football, with Kelly telling the Oxford Mail in January 2021 that "I had a difficult time last year in terms of not playing, so my main goal this year was to get in the team and play as much as I can." [69] He played 34 times without scoring across the 2020–21 season, though he was uninvolved in the late stages of the season, with Kelly having made his final appearance for the club on 2 April. [70] Oxford qualified for the League One play-offs again, though Kelly was uninvolved as Oxford lost in the semi-final to Blackpool. [70] [71]
In August 2021, it was reported that Kelly's contract with Feyenoord had already been terminated, though this was not formally announced by the club. [72]
Rochdale
In early August 2021, it was reported by Berkshire Live that Kelly was on trial with Swindon Town. [73] Scott Lindsey, who was assistant manager at Swindon Town at the time, confirmed this in 2023 and claimed that he "always felt as if we should have signed him". [74] However, Kelly instead signed a two-year contract with EFL League Two club Rochdale on 24 August 2021. [75] [76] He made his debut for Rochdale on 31 August 2021, in a 4–0 EFL Trophy win over Liverpool U21. His performance was singled out for praise by the Rochdale Observer, who said he "marshalled the midfield", and Kelly also scored Rochdale's opening goal with a "blistering drive". [77] He was given a league debut for the club on 25 September 2021 as a substitute in a 1–0 home defeat to Oldham Athletic, and was given his first league start on 9 October in a 1–0 home defeat to Crawley Town. [78] He returned to the bench for Rochdale's following league match, but came on as a substitute and scored his first league goal for the club with a low shot after a partially cleared corner kick, to put Rochdale 2–1 up in an eventual 2–2 draw with Swindon Town on 16 October. [78] [79] He scored again later in October for Rochdale, in a 3–2 win over Sutton United, and also provided three assists in October, resulting in Kelly being awarded the club's Player of the Month award for October 2021. [80] He was later also given the club's Player of the Month award for November 2021. [81] He remained a regular starter for the club over the 2021–22 season before picking up an injury in April 2022, scoring 5 times in 30 League Two matches. [78] [82]
Kelly kept a regular place in the Rochdale side at the start of the 2022–23 season, playing 18 times before picking up a knock in a 1–0 FA Cup defeat to Bristol Rovers on 5 November 2022. [83] [84] [85] He had scored twice in this run of matches, in consecutive matches, with the opening goal of a 2–1 win over Barrow on 15 October, before scoring a "fine finish" to equalise in 94th minute of an EFL Trophy match against Salford City and take the match to a penalty shoot-out. [83] [86] He returned from injury for Rochdale's final match of 2022, a 4–3 defeat away at Doncaster Rovers, before starting the following match, a 0–0 draw away at Barrow on 2 January 2023. [83] [85] Upon Kelly's return from injury, the club were second-bottom from League Two with 15 points from 21 matches, [87] and Rochdale were relegated from League Two to the National League at the end of the 2022–23 season, after finishing bottom on 38 points from 46 matches. [88] [89] Kelly had scored twice in 39 matches in all competitions. [83]
Crawley Town
On 22 June 2023, Crawley Town announced the signing of Kelly on a two-year contract, [74] with Kelly having turned down Rochdale's offer of a new contract. [90] He scored his first goal for Crawley in a 3–2 win over Grimsby Town on 28 September 2023, which was described as a "stunner into the top corner from 25 yards". [91] [92] Kelly had also recorded the joint-most assists in the league by the end of September, [91] and he was nominated for the EFL League Two Player of the Month award for September 2023, [93] though it was instead awarded to Louie Barry of Stockport County. [94]
Following a seventh-place finish in the regular season, Crawley took part in the League Two play-offs. The club beat MK Dons 8–1 over two legs in the semi-final, which was the biggest win in EFL play-offs history; Kelly scored the opener and also provided an assist in the 3–0 first leg win at home on 7 May, and also provided an assist in the 5–1 away win in the second leg on 11 May. [95] [96] [97] On 19 May 2024, Crawley won 2–0 in the 2024 League Two play-off final against Crewe Alexandra at Wembley Stadium and gained promotion to League One; Kelly provided the assist for Danilo Orsi's first-half opener, and scored the second into an open net in the 85th minute. [98] Kelly was given the man of the match award for all three play-off matches. [99] [100] [101]
Milton Keynes Dons
On 4 July 2024, Kelly joined League Two club Milton Keynes Dons for an undisclosed fee. [102] He made his debut for the club on 10 August 2024 in a 1–2 home defeat to Bradford City, [103] [104] but was injured shortly after and did not return to first team action until September. [103] [105] In September, manager Mike Williamson was sacked following a poor start to the season, and was replaced by Crawley manager Scott Lindsey who had managed Kelly during the previous season. [106] Kelly scored his first goal for the club on 19 October 2024, a long-range effort in a 3–1 away win over Morecambe. [107]
International career
Though born in England, Kelly is also eligible to represent the Republic of Ireland in international football due to his Irish-born grandparents. [3] Kelly made his Republic of Ireland under-19 debut against Slovenia under-19 in September 2013. [108] Whilst playing for the Republic of Ireland U19s against Sweden under-19, Kelly scored from the halfway line. [109]
Kelly made his Republic of Ireland under-21 debut against United States under-20 in November 2014. [108]
Kelly received his first call-up for the Republic of Ireland on 13 March 2017, being named in the 39-man provisional squad for the games against Wales and Iceland. [110] He did however reject a call-up to the Republic of Ireland senior squad in March 2018. Ireland manager Martin O'Neill suggested to the media that Kelly turned down the call-up to "keep his options open" in hope of a future England call-up, though Kelly claimed that his decision was due to "personal reasons". [111] [112] Kelly later told Kevin Palmer of Sunday World he never spoke to O'Neill about playing for England, and that "I was in and out of the team at Reading at the time, so it was very far fetched to say I was looking to get an England call-up". [113]
Style of play
Kelly is a midfielder, and is capable of operating both as a defensive midfielder and an attacking midfielder. [114] He has been described as a "playmaker", [115] [113] with George Elek of the Not The Top 20 Podcast highlighting his on-field intelligence and technical ability as key facets of his game in 2023. [116] Daniel McDonnell of the Irish Independent wrote in 2017 that Kelly is "comfortable in a deep role, eager to take the ball from his defenders and dictate play", [19] whilst Scott Lindsey, who managed Kelly at Crawley Town and Milton Keynes Dons, claimed Kelly is "very brave" in his style of play, elaborating that "he takes the ball in tight and dangerous areas, dictates and steps forward and tries things". [117]
Kelly has been noted for his relatively short height - which has been reported as being anywhere between 5 feet 4 inches (1.63 m) [2] and 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m) [3] - though Kelly told The Irish Independent in 2017 that he "never let his height worry him", adding that "guys like Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Xavi are all small in stature and haven’t done too bad in their careers". [3] Reading manager Jaap Stam echoed this comparison to Iniesta in March 2017, claiming that "he can pass, move, go past people and defensively he’s aggressive" and that "if you look at the things Liam can do he certainly comes close to [Iniesta]". [118]
