Robert Kelly

Sir Robert McErlean Kelly (17 October 1902 – 21 September 1971) was appointed a member of the board of Scottish football club Celtic after the death of his father James Kelly in 1931. He later became chairman in 1947, a position he held until 1971.

Early life Robert Kelly was born on 17 October 1902 in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, His father James Kelly played for Celtic, and was the club's first ever captain. James Kelly subsequently became a director at the club and had a brief spell as chairman. Robert Kelly's mother, Margaret, was also herself the daughter of a Celtic founder. His eldest brother, Frank, went on to play a handful of games for Celtic in 1918, but was killed trying to jump onto a train in France in 1919. Three other brothers played for Queen's Park. Despite his arm injury, Kelly was also an excellent tennis player. Taking an interest in the administrative side of the game, he joined the Scottish League Management Committee in 1939.

He also resolutely defended Celtic's right to fly the Eire flag at Celtic Park when the SFA made efforts in 1952 to have it removed.

Despite this, Celtic's performances improved in the early 1950s, and a Scottish Cup Final win in 1951 was followed three years later by a league and cup double.

In 1960, Kelly was elected as president of the SFA, and his tenure in that role coincided with an upturn in Scotland's football success. Within weeks, Celtic won the Scottish Cup, and the following season won the first of nine successive league championships. In season 1966–1967 Celtic won all four domestic competitions, and also became the first non-Latin club to win the European Cup, defeating Inter Milan 2–1 in Lisbon. Many of the Lisbon Lions players were 'Kelly Babes' who had been with the club for several years, though it took the appointment of Stein for their potential to be effectively honed. He regarded the honour as belonging to Celtic and Scotland as much as to himself.

Kelly stood down as chairman in April 1971, where he was then given the honorary title at Celtic of Club President. Desmond White succeeded him as Celtic chairman. After several months of illness, Kelly died at his home on 21 September 1971.

Jock Stein stated that "No man has done more for the club [Celtic] in every way than Sir Robert Kelly." Scottish League president, James Aitken, described Kelly as one of the "giants" of Scottish football, and that he was "a most outstanding legislator."