Gary Kelly - Fans memories of a Leeds United one club wonder

Gary Kelly remains the only Leeds United player of the post Don Revie era to join the exclusive 500 appearances club.

His distinguished tour of duty featured 531 appearances for the Whites during his 16 years, making him the eighth highest-ever club appearance maker, sandwiched between fellow Irishman and Home Farm product Johnny Giles, in ninth place with 523 appearances and Eddie Gray, who played 561 times for the Whites.

That Kelly managed that feat after coming to the club as an aspiring young striker, before being converted to a right-back of some repute, is tribute to his sheer professionalism and dedication and above all dependability.

His milestone 500-up appearance arrived in the second tier, against Luton Town in Leeds’ 2–1 victory at Elland Road on February 25, 2006 - a month or so after he netted his only home goal at LS11 against Wigan Athletic in a midweek FA Cup replay.

Your YEP has asked the Elland Road faithful to share memories of a player who was selected in the Premier League team of the season for the 1993–94 campaign and capped 52 times by the native Republic of Ireland.

Responses included:

Andrew Chamberlain - "True servant to the club and never once saw him let us down."

Pete Marquis - "Was my idol and still is my favorite player for Leeds. I’ve always worn number 2 - played right back. All my usernames are relevant to Gary Kelly! I now coach In the USA and all at my club think he is the best right back to ever grace the green grass (which he is)."

Paul Blakemore - "I was at ER when he hit that fantastic strike to make it 3-3 against Wigan. Amazing noise from a half full ground showed the love and admiration for Gary Kelly!"

Ian Taylor - "My favourite memory of Gary Kelly is away at AC Milan after the game when Kelly led the best example of player/fan interaction I’ve ever seen when players and fans had the best song song ever celebrating getting through to the next stage of the Champions League."

Jonny Brown - "Quality player for Leeds."

Demo Clarke - "Great for club and country. Top man."

Dennis Randall - "A career that started as a striker and converted to become one of the best right backs in the Premier League. And a top bloke as well."

Craig Teasdale - "Played many great games for us. But leading the singing at the end of the game in the San Siro."

Lyndon Helm - "Wigan goal. 15,000 and I was one of them in the Kop. Was a belter."

Tarquin Farquarson - "Got to be in the San Siro when he led the singing."

Paul McConkey - "Not a playing memory but was over with the Belfast Supporters Club in 90s and we were in Queens Hotel got chatting to him and he bought us all a pint. Just a genuinely nice guy."

Rayg Krayney - "Went to his testimonial against Celtic, when I was a kid at ER, with my late uncle. Came out and chatted with everyone afterwards, top bloke."

Paul Artis - "Not so much of Gary in action but it was a good laugh. Got to ER early on game day one day in order to get my younger brother some autographs from the players coming in from the car park. As usual there is a line of kids waiting with pens. We manage to get to the barrier to see a few players come through. Gary Kelly arrives and is doing his good work signing stuff and having his picture taken. He gets up to our end still holding a pen he hasn’t yet given back. He motions to me with the pen and says autograph? Now I’m in my late teens /early twenties so I’m not that fussed about players autographs. I look up to him and say “sorry Gary, I don’t like to give my autograph to just anyone.” All the kids in the line up hear it and start laughing and he just goes bright red and mutters something under his breath with a bit of a grin. Good times. It gave us all a laugh. We lost the game from memory."

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Laura Collins