- Birthdate: 27 April 1990
- Birthplace: Whiston, Liverpool, England
- Other clubs: Huddersfield Town (loan 2009), Crystal Palace (2014-22), West Bromwich Albion (2022-), Wigan (loan 2023)
- Signed from: Local
- Signed for LFC: Joined 1997
- International debut: 26.05.2012 vs. Norway
- International caps: 1/0
- Liverpool debut: 09.12.2008
- Last appearance: 02.02.2014
- Debut goal: 29.11.2011
- Last goal: 29.11.2011
- Contract expiry: 14.08.2014
- Win ratio: 56.45% W:35 D:14 L:13
- Honours: League Cup 2012
- Total games/goals opposite LFC: 9 / 0
- League games / goals / assists: 33 / 0 / 1
- Total games / goals / assists: 62 / 1 / 2
Player Profile
Kelly successfully came through Liverpool's Academy which hasn't produced too many starlets in the last decade. He was only seven years old when he caught the eye of the Liverpool scouts. Kelly started out as a central midfielder, but he is essentially a centre-half, tall and elegant on the field of play, who made most of his first-team appearances as right-back. He missed almost two years of his development due to a back problem but graduated to Melwood in the summer of 2007 and was a part of Gary Ablett's reserve team that won the League in the 2007/08 season. Rafa included him in the group of Liverpool players listed for the Champions League and he made his debut when he came on for Jamie Carragher in the eighty-second minute against PSV Eindhoven on 9 December 2008. He was loaned out to Huddersfield Town in League One from March until the end of the 2008/09 season and made seven League appearances for the Yorkshire club.
Kelly finally made his full Liverpool debut against Lyon at Anfield in a group stage game in the 2009/10 Champions League season. He turned in a man-of-the-match performance, delivering quality crosses and showing undoubted skills. He might have had a good run in the side but he injured his groin in the game and was sidelined for four months. Kelly made two more substitute appearances before getting injured again and not featuring for the rest of the season. Kelly could probably be satisfied with his contribution in the 2010/11 season. After making just three appearances in 2009/10, to increase that to 23 a year later was good progress. Kenny Dalglish was confident enough in Kelly's ability to start him in the daunting FA Cup-tie at Old Trafford on 9 January 2011; and he started him in the next seven Premier League matches too. Kelly's final appearance of the season came in a miserable 3-1 defeat at Upton Park on 27 February when he was forced off shortly before the interval after injuring his left hamstring. It was a nasty injury that kept him out for the remainder of the campaign.
Kelly continued to make good progress in 2011/12, was a regular in matchday squads and scored his first senior goal with a header in the League Cup-tie at Chelsea at the end of November. He earned his first senior cap in an England friendly against Norway in Oslo that was part of the build-up to Euro 2012. When Chelsea's Gary Cahill was ruled out of Euro 2012 a week later, Kelly replaced him in England's squad. Kelly's bad luck with injuries continued in 2012/13 when he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament against Manchester United on 23 September. Kelly signed a new contract with Liverpool on 8 February 2013, despite knowing that his season was already over.
Even with competition for places so intense, Kelly was probably disappointed to only play in Liverpool's first team eight times during the 2013/14 season. He only started two matches, the FA cup-ties against Oldham and Bournemouth in January. Kelly celebrated his 24th birthday shortly before the end of the season but players of any age know how hard it is to recover from a really serious injury. Kelly's chance at Liverpool had come and gone unfortunately and on 14 August 2014 he was transferred to fellow Premiership club Crystal Palace and enjoyed a good first season, featuring 31 times. In 2015/16 however he had to settle for a place on the bench more often than not. 2016/17 was much better with 25 starts and four sub appearances, but in the following two seasons he again had to be content with being a bit part player, appearing just 28 times in the league over that period.
In 2019/20 all of Kelly's nineteen league appearances came before the season was suspended due to the COVID 19 pandemic. In the nine games played behind closed doors when the season resumed, he was an unused substitute on four occasions. Over the next two seasons he was in the matchday squad 54 times in the Premier League, but made just one substitute appearance. On his release in the summer of 2022 he told the Palace website "Although the last couple of seasons have been frustrating not playing as much as I'd like to, I've always tried to be professional and help the lads off the pitch as well as on the pitch, and to help the younger lads coming through. I've tried to find ways to make my worth in the squad whether I've played or not. I've always kept myself ready and as fit as possible for when the chances came, and I leave on a positive from the club because they gave me the chance over the past eight seasons to play for such a big side in London. They will be forever in the memories of me and my family, and we'll always be part of Palace." On the August 2022 transfer deadline day, Kelly agreed a two year deal with West Bromwich Albion. After just four league starts before the January transfer window he joined Wigan on loan for the remainder of the season.
Appearances per season
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps |
Minutes |
Opponent |
5 |
383 |
Manchester United |
4 |
287 |
Everton |
3 |
270 |
Chelsea |
3 |
269 |
Stoke City |
3 |
158 |
Manchester City |
3 |
134 |
WBA |
2 |
180 |
Arsenal |
2 |
180 |
Fulham |
2 |
180 |
Sunderland |
2 |
180 |
Oldham Athletic |
2 |
180 |
Wolves |
2 |
180 |
Trabzonspor |
2 |
180 |
Wigan Athletic |
2 |
180 |
Steaua Bucharest |
2 |
180 |
Hearts |
2 |
180 |
Utrecht |
2 |
180 |
Rabotnicki |
2 |
54 |
West Ham United |
1 |
120 |
Northampton Town |
1 |
90 |
Napoli |
1 |
90 |
Tottenham |
1 |
90 |
Blackpool |
1 |
90 |
Swansea City |
1 |
86 |
Brighton & Hove Albion |
1 |
74 |
Lyon |
1 |
73 |
Bournemouth |
1 |
46 |
Sparta Prague |
1 |
44 |
Gomel |
1 |
35 |
Cardiff City |
1 |
34 |
QPR |
1 |
30 |
Bolton Wanderers |
1 |
28 |
Unirea Urziceni |
1 |
20 |
Portsmouth |
1 |
8 |
PSV Eindhoven |
1 |
6 |
Aston Villa |
Total |
Started/substitutions |
50 |
Started |
62 |
On the bench |
12 |
Substitute |
9 |
Substituted |
Total |
Venue |
33 |
Home |
29 |
Away |
Goals per season
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Assists per season
A more detailed look at the player's assists
Milestone Appearances
# |
Date |
Against |
Stadium |
Competition |
1 |
09.12.2008 |
PSV Eindhoven |
Philips Stadion |
Europe |
50 |
23.08.2012 |
Hearts |
Tynecastle Stadium |
Europe |
Milestone Goals
# |
Minute |
Date |
Against |
Stadium |
Competition |
1 |
63 |
29.11.2011 |
Chelsea |
Stamford Bridge |
League Cup |
Related Articles
Martin Kelly became the latest Premier League star to take The Guardian's 'Small Talk' interview on 7 September 2012.
Article by Dominic King, Liverpool Echo.
Liverpool Echo report on Liverpool - Lyon on 20.10.2009.
Other Clubs
Club |
Season |
Club rank |
League apps |
League goals |
Total apps |
Total goals |
Huddersfield Town |
2008-2009 |
England League Division 1 |
7 |
1 |
7 |
1 |
Crystal Palace |
2014-2015 |
England Premier League |
31 |
0 |
34 |
0 |
Crystal Palace |
2015-2016 |
Premier League |
13 |
0 |
15 |
1 |
Crystal Palace |
2016-2017 |
Premier League |
29 |
0 |
34 |
0 |
Crystal Palace |
2017-2018 |
Premier League |
15 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
Crystal Palace |
2018-2019 |
Premier League |
15 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
Crystal Palace |
2019-2020 |
Premier League |
19 |
0 |
21 |
0 |
Crystal Palace |
2020-2021 |
Premier League |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
Crystal Palace |
2021-2022 |
Premier League |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
WBA |
2022-2023 |
Championship |
5 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
Total |
135 |
1 |
159 |
2 |