Liam Kelly, Coventry City
The Association was delighted to see on CCFC’s website yesterday that our recent member (signed a year or so ago) and ex Sky Blues’ midfielder and ‘skipper’ Liam Kelly had returned to the CBS Arena in a new capacity! The 36 year old has been newly appointed as the club’s Senior Professional Development Phase Coach! Effectively this means ‘Kells’ will take charge of the Academy Development squad, City’s under 21s as Mark Delaney leaves the club. We are sure they will be in good hands next season!
CCFC’s Sporting Director Dean Austin told the club website, ‘We’re delighted to have Liam here to work with our young players. He has all the attributes to be a top coach. He’s a scholar of the game and Coventry through and through’!
Liam Kelly in Sky Blue action
Kell’s told the website, “I’m really excited ……and grateful for the opportunity to continue my journey. Coaching is something I’ve been preparing for as a player. Working with the U21s is a brilliant opportunity to help develop talented young players…..rwady to take the steps into the First Team. That’s the ultimate aim…. and something I ‘m passionate about”.
The full interview can be found here.
Liam began his career at Milton Keynes Dons, but left there for Scottish Premier League side Kilmarnock in 2008 having not made a single professional appearance. He was at Kilmarnock for 4 seasons making 100 appearances and scoring 15 goals. In 2013 he moved on to Bristol City where he stayed for 2 seasons. He made 21 appearances in total for The Robins, the majority being during the first season due to a cruciate ligament injury in July 2013, which limited him to just 2 appearances in his second season at the club.
CCFPA’s Sarah Morris presents Liam with his membership badge and tie at the Leeds United game on 5th February 2025
Liam then signed for Oldham Athletic in June 2014 where he made Club Captain. He remained at Boundary Park for 2 seasons, making 78 appearances and scoring 7 goals during his time there. In July 2016, Liam moved on to Leyton Orient for a club record fee of £210,000. He was only there for one season, at the end of which the club were relegated from League Two, ending their 112-year stay in the Football League.
‘Kells’ then signed for the Sky Blues, who at the time had just been relegated to League Two. However, we were only in that League for the one season as City were promoted back to League One via the 2018 League Two Play-Off Final against Exeter City at Wembley Stadium, City winning the match 3-1 in front of a crowd of 50,196.
In 2019, Liam was named Coventry City captain following the departure of (now CCFPA member) Michael Doyle. Liam led the club to promotion back to the Championship after the 2019-20 Season, which had been halted abruptly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The City team v Oxford Utd at Legends Day 2019 that March
Back Row: (left-right) Jordan Willis*, Lee Burge*, Amadou Bakayoko*, Jordy Hiwula*, Dominic Hyam*, Dujon Sterling
Front Row: Bright Enobakhare, Liam Kelly, Luke Thomas, Brandon Mason, Tom Bayliss (*CCFPA members)
Matty & Liam deliver the wreaths
By the time Liam joined his last (League One) club Rotherham United in May 2024 (on a two year contract on a free transfer) the popular ex Sky Blue had played 180 times for CCFC netting three times. He finished at the end of last season with 48 appearances and a lone goal for the Millers.
Liam represented the Association in last November’s Remembrance Day commemoration in Coventry at the War Memorial Park along with CCFC’s club captain Matt Grimes. The pair also shared fully in those wonderful Premiership promotion celebrations last May when ex ‘skipper’ Liam passed the Championship trophy to current ‘skipper’ Matt!
2026 Celebrations Liam Kelly presents Championship trophy to Matt Grimes
Liam – we know you will be very busy now CCFC has to meet Premier League challenges but are sure we will be seeing you at Sky Blues home games and Association events in the upcoming season!
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.
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