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Fullname: Daniel Kelly
aka: –
Born: 3 October 2005
Birthplace: […Glasgow…], Scotland
Signed: 1 July 2022 (professional contract)
Left: 23 August 2024 (£400k + addons to Millwall)
Position: Midfielder
Debut: Celtic 5-0 Buckie Thistle, Scottish Cup, 21 Jan 2024
Squad No.: 48
Internationals: […]
International Caps: [TBC at end of career]
International Goals: [TBC at end of career]
Biog
Daniel Kelly was a young player in demand but Celtic managed to keep a hold of him, signing him up in 2022. After recent high profile losses from the youth squads such as Ben Doak and Karamoko Dembele, another blow would have been a shambles. That was to be the case here again.
Celtic was in the blood, being the godson of ex-Celt Scott McDonald.
He was actually overshadowed in his debut match (a 5-0 win over Buckie Thistle in the Scottish Cup in January 2024) by fellow youth player Rocco Vata who scored his debut goal but was on the verge of leaving Celtic. There were incredibly five players on the field that day for Celtic who were former St Ninians former pupils.
He won further outings with the general coaching staff having faith in him. Some even posted him to be the best youth talent at the club since Ben Doak. He scored in his league debut match after coming on as a sub, in an admittedly one-sided match. Brendan Rodgers then commented very favourably on him:
“He’s a young player that I’ve loved working with since I came back. He came with us on pre-season to Portugal and he has this incredible attitude. You can see physically how developed he is – his power, his speed, his touch. He is only going to get better and part of the idea and strategy here is to allow these young players to come in and develop.”
Brendan Rodgers
Despite the opportunities given and the positive remarks, his mind wandered like that of so many other youth players at Celtic in recent years. Celtic offered him a long term contract but he turned it down, and understandably he was then sidelined from the first team by Rodgers.
Celtic were fighting to keep the youngster but spurious reports claimed that Chelsea, Leicester, Manchester United and Tottenham were interested alongside Bayer Leverkusen & Arsenal. All that turned out to be apocraphyl.
He ended signing for second tier Millwall on England, rejecting Celtic’s final offers. The London side had finished 13th in the second tier English Championship last season but even then Daniel Kelly was not expected to go straight in their first team.
Celtic and Millwall reached an agreement for the early release of Daniel Kelly for £400k + addons. For the Celtic youth setup it was another humiliating blow regardless of any comments to the contrary. To lose players to wealthier top tier clubs was one that could be understood but to a lowly second tier side was ridiculous.
Despite the criticism that followed his departure, the youth setup at Celtic was clearly in need of a drastic overhaul. The raft of young players bailing out was more like a stream now than a trickle. The loss of the reserve league system, replaced by the Highland League B system was not attractive or working (as demonstrated by the poor performances from the reserve team players in a friendly match v Queen’s Park (Jul 2024)). Attempts to being integrated into Celtic’s first team squad whilst predominantly learning their trade in a very low-tier football environment below the first team wouldn’t fill anyone him with enthusiasm for their long-term chances, Celtic needed to find a better level for the kids to play. Loans out were the answer but getting the right one was a risk, and even then it was still not a guaranteed golden ticket to the first team.
On the other hand, few were convinced that Millwall was the best answer for him or any other young player to develop and progress. Likely a loan out from Celtic to get experience to test himself, with a set return to Celtic was potentially the better option, but that’s all history now.
The irony is that on the same day Daniel Kelly left, Matt O’Riley was sold for around £30m, a player who took the opposite route to Daniel Kelly, by starting lowly in England then graduating to Celtic to learn & develop his trade. A loan down south to a lower tier club from Celtic, with the guarantee to return, was likely a better route for Daniel Kelly to take but that clearly was passing Daniel Kelly by.
Regardless, we wished him the best.
Post-Celtic
[….]
Quotes
“He’s a young player that I’ve loved working with since I came back. He came with us on pre-season to Portugal and he has this incredible attitude. You can see physically how developed he is – his power, his speed, his touch. He is only going to get better and part of the idea and strategy here is to allow these young players to come in and develop.”
Brendan Rodgers on Daniel Kelly after he scored his debut goal in 7-1 win v Dundee in the league (Feb 2024)
“There’s no impasse as Daniel, like Rocco, he has been offered a deal which is valued and, with the greatest respect, I have worked with young players and I know the levels of young players and where they’re at from a technical perspective and a financial perspective. Both those boys have been offered deals by the club.”
Brendan Rodgers on contract negotiations with Daniel Kelly (Jul 2024)
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES (subs) |
LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 2023-24 | 4 | 2 | – | – | 6 |
| Goals | 1 | 0 | – | – | 1 |
Honours with Celtic
(Honours are marked below in which the player has played in at least one of the matches in the campaign.)
Scottish League
Scottish Cup
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Daniel Kelly
https://www.celticfc.com/players/celtic-b/daniel-kelly/
Signing his first professional contract in 2022, it has been an impressive few years for the talented midfielder.
Earning his first taste of B Team football in the young Hoops’ first campaign in the Lowland League, Kelly become a regular in Darren O’Dea and Stephen McManus’ side the following season.
Featuring in the midfield in competitions such as the UEFA Youth League, Kelly played his part in the Celts’ successful 2023 Glasgow Cup campaign.
The midfielder maintained that momentum into the following season, and impressed during a spell with the first-team in pre-season, joining Brendan Rodgers’ side in Portugal and Japan.
Daniel Kelly Speaks After Scoring First Celtic Goal
By Josh McCafferty -February 29, 2024
Celtic midfielder Daniel Kelly has spoken out after he scored his first senior goal in football against Dundee this evening.
The Hoops put seven past their opponents in what was a vintage performance under the lights. Throughout, the intensity was high and play was rapid.
YouTube video player
Cameron Carter-Vickers’ header within the first six minutes opened the floodgates. Adam Idah, Matt O’Riley, Daizen Maeda, Greg Taylor, and Callum McGregor all got in on the act before young Kelly came on and bagged.
Brendan Rodgers
25th February 2024; Fir Park, Motherwell, Scotland; Scottish Premiership Football, Motherwell versus Celtic; Celtic Manager Brendan Rodgers raises a fist in celebration to the fans
The 18-year-old replaced the skipper at the break and rattled one into the top corner, via his weaker right foot, just after the hour mark. It was a finish that showed maturity way beyond Kelly’s years although, for those who have watched Celtic B this season, his goal won’t come as much of a surprise.
The midfielder has regularly struck home via third-man runs in a similar ilk to what he did tonight for the youth side, and he was delighted to have transferred his form into the senior game: “It was brilliant”, he said (Celtic FC on YouTube).
“Learning from this group of boys is no better, it’s no better as well doing it in front of the crowd and when the chance came I was just buzzing obviously.”
Having been at the club since the tender age of eight, it will have been a lifelong ambition of Kelly’s to score for the Celtic first-team. As he achieved a key goal, those closest to him were present: “I had quite a few of them (family members) in the crowd tonight”, quipped Kelly.
“A few of my friends (were there) as well who have watched me growing up so it was brilliant.”
It seems as though there is a bright future ahead for the academy graduate. Gaffer Rodgers seems to rate him highly and given we are in a crucial period of the season, it says a lot that a player of 18 with such limited senior experience has been trusted to play a full half of football regardless of the scoreline.