Liam Kelly (footballer, born 1996)

Liam Patrick Kelly (born 23 January 1996) is a Scottish professional footballer, who plays as a goalkeeper for Championship side Queens Park Rangers. Kelly has previously played for Rangers, East Fife and Livingston and has represented Scotland in youth internationals.

Liam Kelly

Personal information
Full name	Liam Patrick Kelly[1]
Date of birth	(1996-01-23) 23 January 1996
Place of birth	Glasgow, Scotland
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Playing position(s)	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team	Queens Park Rangers
Number	32
Youth career
2006–2015	Rangers
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2015–2018	Rangers	0	(0)
2016	→ East Fife (loan)	16	(0)
2016–2017	→ Livingston (loan)	34	(0)
2018–2019	Livingston	36	(0)
2019–	Queens Park Rangers	19	(0)
National team^‡
2011–2012	Scotland U16[3]	3	(0)
2012	Scotland U17[3]	5	(0)
2012–2015	Scotland U19[3]	11	(0)
2016	Scotland U21[3]	2	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 July 2020 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 4 March 2019

Club career

Rangers

Kelly joined Rangers aged ten years-old and played in the club's youth sides, notably scoring the final penalty during Rangers under-17s Glasgow Cup win in 2012.[4][5]

After training with the first-team for the majority of the 2014–15 season and featuring on the bench, Kelly signed a contract extension on 25 February 2015, until the summer of 2018.[6]

Loan moves

On 8 January 2016, Kelly joined East Fife in Scottish League Two on a six-month loan.[7] During his time at Bayview Stadium, Kelly played in 16 league matches and was part of the side which won the League Two title.[8] Upon returning to Rangers, Kelly travelled to the US with the Rangers first-team for a pre-season training camp.[9] However, on 15 July 2016, he was loaned out to the then Scottish League One team Livingston until January 2017.[10] He made his debut for Livi the next day in a League Cup match against St Mirren.[11]

Livingston

Kelly moved to Livingston, where he had previously been on loan, for an undisclosed fee in June 2018.[12] He played regularly for Livingston in the 2018–19 season, but then invoked a release clause in his contract.[13]

Queens Park Rangers

On 14 June 2019, Kelly signed for Queens Park Rangers for an undisclosed fee on a four-year contract.[14] Kelly made his Queens Park Rangers debut on 13 August 2019 in an EFL Cup match against Bristol City saving two penalties in a 5-4 penalty shootout win.

International career

Kelly has represented Scotland at various age levels, up to an including the under-21 team.[3]

Kelly received his first call-up to the senior Scotland squad in March 2019 for games against Kazakhstan and San Marino.[15]

Style of play

Kenny Miller, who played alongside Kelly at Rangers and was also his player-manager at Livi, said of him in 2018: "He's excellent with the ball at his feet. He's a proper modern-day goalkeeper".[16]

Personal life

He is the brother of defender Sean Kelly.

Career statistics

As of match played 19 May 2019[17]

Club	Season	League			Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Rangers	2015–16	Scottish Premiership	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2016–17	Scottish Premiership	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2017–18	Scottish Premiership	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
East Fife (loan)	2015–16	Scottish League Two	16	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	16	0
Livingston (loan)	2016–17	Scottish League One	34	0	2	0	4	0	0	0	40	0
Livingston	2018–19	Scottish Premiership	36	0	1	0	5	0	0	0	42	0
Career total			86	0	3	0	9	0	0	0	98	0

Honours

Club

Rangers under-17

• Glasgow Cup: 2012[5]

East Fife

• Scottish League Two: 2015–16[8]

Livingston

• Scottish League One: 2016–17[18]

References

1. "Notification of shirt numbers" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
2. "Player Profile: Goalkeeper Liam Kelly". Queens Park Rangers F.C. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
3. Liam Kelly at the Scottish Football Association
4. "Goalkeeper Liam Kelly is the hero as Rangers colts triumph in Glasgow Cup penalty shoot-out". Evening Times. Glasgow: Herald & Times Group. 17 April 2012.
5. Dickson, Andrew (16 April 2012). "Gers Win Glasgow Cup". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
6. "Kelly Delight At New Deal". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club. 25 February 2015. Archived from the original on 12 July 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
7. "Kelly Joins East Fife". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club. 8 January 2016.
8. Macgregor, Archie (16 April 2016). "Clyde 0-0 East Fife: League 2 title joy for Fifers". The Scotsman. Edinburgh: Johnston Press.
9. "Gers head to America". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club. 27 June 2016.
10. Thomson, Nick (15 July 2016). "Kelly Moves On Loan". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club.
11. McLauchlin, Brian (16 July 2016). "Livingston 2-3 St Mirren". BBC Sport. BBC.
12. "Liam Kelly Joins Livingston". Rangers FC. 8 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
13. "Liam Kelly triggers Livingston release clause amid English Championship interest". BBC Sport. 4 June 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
14. "Liam Kelly: QPR sign goalkeeper from Livingston". BBC Sport. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
15. "Scotland: Andy Robertson to miss Kazakhstan clash as trio also pull out". BBC Sport. BBC. 17 March 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
16. "Liam Kelly 'could lead next batch of Scotland goalkeepers' - Kenny Miller". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 4 October 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
17. "L. Kelly". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
18. "Livingston 2–1 Alloa Athletic". Livingston F.C. 8 April 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2017.

External links

• Liam Kelly at Soccerbase
• Liam Kelly – UEFA competition record