Kelly delighted to take reserve team duties
HOLYHEAD HOTSPUR’S new reserves team manager is a very popular figure at the club.
Taking over from Andy Batsford and John Batson will be Mike ‘Cheds’ Kelly, who, until now, has been a first-team regular for numerous years.
Kelly, who will undertake a Football Association of Wales ‘C’ coaching course in August, has been awarded a richly-deserved testimonial match to be held at the New Stadium on Saturday, July 7, against a Sheffield United XI (3pm kick-off ).
Keeping the appointing -within theme going, Kelly will be assisted by striker Martin McClymont, a Yorkshireman who has settled in the area and is sure to be an asset to the reserve set-up.
Kelly said: “I am extremely excited about working with, and developing the next generation of local talent. I aim to nurture the quality young players and ready them for the first team.
“I have gone through the whole club structure as a player, from youth to senior.
“I will look to pass onto them my experience and knowledge in the hope they can break into and establish themselves as first-team players in the coming years.
“For many years now, the club has relied on our own home-grown, talented youngsters, and it is integral to the success of the club that the production keeps producing. Not only is it important to keep churning out players, but that the quality of these players needs to increase in line with the quality of the Cymru Alliance.
“This was the main draw for me. My players will have one goal, and that will be to break into the first team and stay there.”
Kelly looks forward to working closely with new first-team managers Darren Garmey and Nick Dumbarton.
He added: “Martin McClymont and Tom Scott will be my assistants, who will still be involved in a playing capacity, to aid the youngsters’ development. I hold them both in high regard as players but, most importantly, as individuals.”
Kelly also praised Batsford and Batson for their work with the reserves last season. “There wouldn’t be a side for us to take over if it wasn’t for John’s hard work over the last four months,” he said.