Billy Kellock

William Kellock (7 February 1954 – 20 March 2024) was a Scottish footballer who scored 77 goals in 298 league games in an 11-year career in the Football League in the 1970s and 1980s. He played for Aston Villa, Cardiff City, Norwich City, Millwall, Chelmsford City, Kettering Town, Peterborough United, Luton Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Southend United, Port Vale, and Halifax Town. He was twice named to the PFA Team of the Year and was promoted out of the Second Division with Wolves in 1982–83.

Career Kellock was a youth team player at Aston Villa, though went on to play for Cardiff City in the 1971 FA Youth Cup final defeat to Arsenal. He broke into the first-team during the 1971–72 and 1972–73 seasons, helping Jimmy Scoular's "Bluebirds" to 19th and 20th-place finishes in the Second Division. He turned professional in February 1972. He scored two goals in 35 league games at Ninian Park. He then played three First Division games for Norwich City in 1973–74 as John Bond's "Canaries" suffered relegation. He left Carrow Road to sign with Millwall. However, "Lions" manager Gordon Jago never handed Kellock his league debut, who left The Den and dropped out of the Football League and joined Chelmsford City in October 1974. In October 1975, he scored four goals in a 6–1 Southern League Cup win over Banbury United despite missing a penalty kick.

Kellock impressed at Rockingham Road and returned to the Football League with Peterborough United after he was signed for a nominal fee in August 1979. Peter Morris's "Posh" finished eighth in the Fourth Division in 1979–80, before posting a fifth-place finish in 1980–81 – they ended the campaign just one place and three points behind promoted Wimbledon. By this stage Kellock had been appointed as club captain. He scored 43 goals in 134 league games at London Road. He left the club for a £30,000 fee after being vocal in criticism of what he perceived as the club's lack of ambition. Wolves were promoted out of the Second Division in second place in 1982–83. He had a "stunning impact" on his debut; scoring two goals in a 5–1 win over Exeter City at Vale Park on New Year's Day. He was a regular in the side, scoring four goals in 11 Fourth Division games in 1984–85, before he strained a hamstring in March.

Post-retirement After leaving the game, Kellock was head of sales and marketing at a Country club near Oakham. He later worked as a painter and decorator.

Career statistics

Honours Individual Football League Fourth Division PFA Team of the Year: 1980–81 & 1981–82

Kettering Town FA Trophy runner-up: 1979

Wolverhampton Wanderers Football League Second Division second-place promotion: 1982–83