David McKellar

David Norwood McKellar (born 22 May 1956) is a Scottish retired professional footballer, best remembered for his time as a goalkeeper in the Football League with Carlisle United, for whom he made 160 appearances for the club over two spells. In a long career, he played in all four divisions of the English league pyramid and the top three divisions in Scotland. McKellar later managed in Scottish junior and amateur football.

Club career

Early years McKellar began his career in his native Scotland with junior clubs Saltcoats Victoria and Kilwinning Rangers, securing a move to English First Division club Ipswich Town in September 1972, managed by Bobby Robson. McKellar made 30 appearances for the reserve team over the next four years and failed to make a first team appearance. McKellar was also sent out on loan to lower division clubs Colchester United and Peterborough United and failed to make an appearance for either. He departed Portman Road in May 1976, after suffering from homesickness. While with Ardrossan Winton Rovers, Nairn County of the Scottish Highland Football League made enquiries for McKeller but no business was concluded due to the distance involved between McKellers home in Irvine and Nairn in the Highlands.

Derby County A second chance at Football League level materialised for McKellar in 1978, in the form of a £2,500 move to First Division club Derby County on 8 April 1978. He had to wait until 16 December 1978 to make his debut, which came in a 2–0 defeat to Arsenal at Highbury. He went on to enjoy a run in the team, making 17 appearances in what remained of the 1978–79 season. After failing to make an appearance during the first month of the 1980–81 season, He made 43 appearances during two years at the Baseball Ground. McKellar made a career-high 50 appearances during the 1981–82 season, Signed as backup for Alan Rough, the move reunited McKellar with Hibs assistant manager Tommy Craig, a former teammate at Carlisle United. impressing enough to be offered a permanent contract by the latter club, which fell through after the sacking of manager Willie McFaul. He made 41 appearances as the Accies suffered relegation straight back to the Scottish League First Division. Unable to keep Rikki Ferguson out of the team on a regular basis, McKellar made 16 appearances in the First Division prior to departing Douglas Park in early 1988. He made 59 appearances for Hamilton. After failing to make an appearance in the early part of the 1988–89 season and spending time on loan at Fourth Division club Hartlepool United, Across his two spells with Carlisle, McKellar made 163 appearances. Looking back in 2011, McKellar said "I really loved the club, as there was a lovely atmosphere, because we had such a small squad, so we all had to pull together". He made just one league appearance during the 1990–91 season and departed at the end of the campaign. McKellar retired from football at the end of the season. McKellar turned down an offer from his former Rangers manager Walter Smith to become goalkeeping coach at Premier League club Everton, during Smith's tenure as manager of the club. 0 41 0 1987–88 Scottish First Division 16 0 0 0 1 0

1 0 18 0

52 0 2 0 3 0

2 0 59 0 Hartlepool United (loan) 1988–89 Fourth Division 5 0

2 0

7 0

1989–90 Scottish Second Division 5 0

5 0 1990–91 Scottish First Division 1 0 0 0 0 0

1 0

6 0 0 0 0 0

6 0 Rangers 1991–92 Scottish Premier Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0

198 0 10 0 7 0 0 0 2 0 217 0

Honours Carlisle United Player of the Season: 1988–89