Career
He played for Sunderland, Nelson, Huddersfield Town, Charlton Athletic, Chester City, Portuguese Vale, and Southampton. Kelly left Hylton Colliery at the age of 19 to sign for Sunderland in 1927. He never made the first team at Roker Park and the following year joined Nelson.
He scored four goals in nine Third Division North games in the 1929-1930 campaign, before departing Seedhill.
He signed with Huddersfield Town, and scored seven goals in 14 First Division games in the 1929-1930 season. He scored eight goals in 20 appearances for the "Terriers" in the 1930-1931 campaign, including a hat-trick against Manchester United at Old Trafford on 10 September.
However he played just four games at Leeds Road at the start of the 1931-1932 season, before signing with Charlton Athletic, and seeing out the 1931-1932 season with six goals in 20 Second Division games for the "Addicks". He then left The Valley and joined Chester City.
The "Seals" finished fourth in the Third Division North in 1932-1933, before posting tenth and third-place finishes in 1933-1934 and 1934-1935 He scored 27 goals in 73 league appearances in his time at Sealand Road.
He joined Third Division North side Portuguese Vale for a "substantial fee" in June 1936. Starting off firmly in the first 11, his place slipped away over the 1936-1937 season and he went on to score twice in 21 league and cup games. In August 1937 he was given a free transfer from The Old Recreation Ground to Second Division club Southampton.
A very quick right-winger who could also play as a centre-forward, he arrived at The Dell to add depth to the Southampton forward line.
Although he brought a wealth of experience with him, he spent most of his time in the reserves and in his two years on the south coast, he made only 19 first-team appearances, scoring twice. Following the outbreak of the Second World War his professional career ended and he retired from the game.