Alan Kelly

About

Goalkeeper coach at Everton FC and former professional soccer player best known for playing as a goalkeeper for teams such as Preston North End, Sheffield United, and Blackburn Rovers. He also represented the Republic of Ireland national team, and won 34 caps during his international career. He played for shorter periods on loan to teams such as Stockport County and Birmingham City and worked for a brief time as goalkeeping coach for the Soccer Academy camps in the United States.

Before Fame

He spent the entirety of his amateur career playing for Preston North End's youth academy and made his senior debut with their English Football League division in 1985.  

Trivia

He helped his team, the Blackburn Rovers, win the Football League Cup in 2002. During the 1995-96 season and the 1996-97 season, he was part of the First Division PFA Team of the Year. In 1999, he was named the FAI Senior International Player of the Year.

Family Life

He is the son of Alan Kelly, Sr., who was also a former professional soccer coach and athlete, who played as a goalkeeper. His brother, Gary Kelly, was also a professional goalkeeper.

Associated With

In December 2019, he and fellow coach Francis Jeffers came aboard to support caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson on the Everton Football Club, following the dismissal of the team's prior coach Marco Silva.