Hughie Kelly

Hugh Thomas Kelly (23 July 1923 – 28 March 2009) was a Scottish professional football player and manager. He played as a left half and spent his entire 14-year professional career with Blackpool.

Club career Born in Valleyfield, Fife, Kelly began his career with Perth-based junior club Jeanfield Swifts. He joined English club Blackpool in 1943 as a 20-year-old, but due to the ongoing World War II, he didn't make his League debut for the Seasiders until September 1946. During the war, he guested for several clubs, including East Fife.

It took some time for Kelly to establish himself in Blackpool's half-back line, but by 1948–49, the trio of Harry Johnston, Eric Hayward and Kelly was becoming legendary. He played in both the 1948 and 1951 FA Cup Finals. However, in the final home league game of the 1952–53 season against Liverpool he suffered a broken ankle following a tackle by centre-forward Louis Bimpson and he missed the famous 1953 match-up with Bolton Wanderers, although the club asked the Football Association to produce a special winners' medal for his nomination as "twelfth man". Kelly later said, "I lived a great journey to Wembley. That's what fascinated me. And it was a privilege to know such a good crowd of players. They were lovely. Even though we'd lost the other two, it was great to have played on the sacred turf at Wembley and I have fond memories."

Personal life Kelly was married in 1949 and had three daughters. After retiring, he remained in Blackpool and was later on the backroom staff at Bloomfield Road. He also started a business in the North Shore area of the town as a grocer and ice-cream manufacturer. After a short illness in 2008, Kelly underwent an emergency operation in Victoria Hospital on 14 February 2009. He then contracted pneumonia and died in Clifton Hospital in Lytham St Annes on 28 March. His funeral was held at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Blackpool, and he was cremated at Carleton Crematorium.

Career statistics Club statistics +

International statistics

Honours Blackpool FA Cup runner-up: 1947–48,