After beginning his career in his native Northern Ireland with
Glentoran and
Cliftonville, he moved to
English First Division side
Wolverhampton Wanderers in December 1971. Kelly had to wait until 5 February 1974 to make his club debut, in a 0–1 defeat at
Sheffield United, and was not selected again for two further years. He gained playing time by joining
NASL side
Portland Timbers in 1975, and also managed a run of nine of Wolves' final ten fixtures of the 1975–76 season as they unsuccessfully battled relegation. After only a handful of further appearances for Wolves during the following two seasons he signed for nearby
Walsall in 1978. In 1981, he returned to North America to again play for the
Portland Timbers. ==References==