David Kelly, Ireland footballer: Profile, Career, News & Videos

David Kelly , also known by the nickname Ned Kelly, is a former Republic of Ireland international footballer and football coach who now is an assistant head coach at club Forest Green Rovers. He scored nine goals in 26 international games for the Republic of Ireland and was a squad member for UEFA Euro 1988, the 1990 FIFA World Cup, and the 1994 FIFA World Cup. A forward, he scored a total of 250 goals in 744 league and cup appearances in a 19-year career in professional football.

As a child, Kelly suffered from Legg–Calvé–Perthes disease but recovered to win a move from non-League Alvechurch and turn professional at Walsall in 1983. He was named in the 1986–87 Third Division PFA Team of the Year. He scored a hat-trick in the 1988 play-off final to secure the club promotion out of the Third Division. He was sold to West Ham United for £600,000 in August 1988 but struggled for form before being sold on to Leicester City for half that sum in March 1990. He then moved on to Newcastle United for a fee of £250,000 in December 1991. He helped Newcastle to avoid relegation out of the Second Division in 1991–92 and then win promotion into the Premier League as champions of the newly renamed First Division in 1992–93.

However, he remained in the First Division, having been signed by Wolverhampton Wanderers for a £750,000 fee in June 1993. He top-scored for Wolves in 1994–95 before he was purchased by Sunderland for £900,000 shortly before they won promotion as champions of the First Division at the end of the 1995–96 season. He dropped back into the First Division after joining Tranmere Rovers for £350,000 in 1997 and spent three seasons with Rovers, playing on the losing side of the 2000 League Cup final. Following brief spells with Sheffield United, Motherwell, and Mansfield Town, he finished his career at Derry City, winning the 2002 FAI Cup in his final match as a player.

He remained within football after retiring as a player and went on to coach at Tranmere Rovers, Sheffield United, Preston North End, Derby County, Walsall, Scunthorpe United, Port Vale, Northampton Town, and Forest Green Rovers.