Kelly: John (Jack)

1935-1938 (Player Details)

Centre Forward

Born: Hetton-le-Hole Nr. Sunderland: 02-03-1913

Debut: v West Bromwich Albion (h): 20-02-1935

5’8” 11st 8lb (1934)

Part-time magician/conjuror Jack Kelly was the best-known of the three Leeds Kellys of the 1930s. He started with Hetton Juniors and was recommended to Burnley by Jack Hill the former England Centre Half. Kelly, who worked as a butcher joined Burnley as an amateur in October 1930 and turned professional the following month. After scoring twelve goals in thirty games, he moved to Newcastle United in April 1933. Kelly came to Newcastle in an exchange deal and was cover for, or reserve to, Jack Allen, so did not get that many first team opportunities. He was however prolific in the Reserves, scoring almost a goal a game. At Gallowgate, he made just five first team appearances, and scored one goal, on 1st September 1934, in a 5-2 home defeat against Brentford. A £1,150 transfer took him to Leeds in February 1935. A proven Central League marksman, he formed a useful partnership with the experienced George Brown. He had probably his best season at Leeds in 1935-36 when he scored fifteen goals in thirty-four appearances. Unfortunately though, he soon reverted to being a 'reserve' player, before going to Birmingham City in January 1938. At St Andrews he was again on the outer managing just one goal in twelve games during his eighteen month stay. He joined Bury in May 1939 and scored in the opening game of the season, 1939-40, for them, but after three games the league was abandoned due to the outbreak of war and the matches were expunged from the record books. World War Two brought League Football to a halt and Kelly retired from the game. He retired to live in Hetton-le-Hole where he died in 2000 just before he was to have attended a dinner celebrating Leeds United’s eightieth season, at which he would have been the oldest surviving ex-player of the club.