Kelly, Alan (1936–2009), soccer goalkeeper and coach, was born James Alexander Kelly on 5 July 1936 in Holles Street hospital, Dublin, the son of James Kelly, a plasterer, of 5 Sarsfield Street, Sallynoggin, Co. Dublin, and his wife Ellen (née Kirwan). During his childhood the family moved to Bray, Co. Wicklow, and he was educated at St Peter's primary school in Bray. After showing promise as a goalkeeper in junior leagues with the local teams Cualann Rovers and Dargle Rovers, Kelly began playing for Bray Wanderers in 1955 in the Leinster League. In 1956 he moved to the League of Ireland side Drumcondra, whose rivalry with Shamrock Rovers had captured the public imagination and could draw crowds of 20,000 to league matches. He won the FAI Cup with Drumcondra, beating Shamrock Rovers 2–0 on 28 April 1957 before 30,000 spectators at Dalymount Park; in the game's decisive moment, Kelly hurled himself across the goal to make an outstanding save from a Liam Tuohy header, which earned him an ovation from the crowd at half-time. The following season (1957/8), he helped Drumcondra to beat Rovers to the league championship, while also working as an apprentice with a plastering firm. Although not especially big (6 ft tall and weighing about 11 st. 7 lb.), Kelly stood out as a goalkeeper of real talent, quick off the goal-line, agile and with sure hands. During 1957/8, he made five appearances for the League of Ireland (four against the Irish League and one against the Scottish League), performing well. His form attracted the attention of Preston North End, then challenging for the first division championship of the (English) Football League, and he signed professional forms with them in April 1958.
Kelly's early years were difficult. Preston's first-choice goalkeeper was Fred Else, an England 'B' international and club legend, and Kelly was very much his understudy. As substitutes were not introduced into the Football League until 1965, he did not even have the consolation of a place on the bench, but played all his football in the reserve team. However, he was a dedicated professional, who never drank or smoked, avoided late nights and continued to train hard while waiting for his chance to break into the first team. This came on 28 January 1961, when he made his debut in an FA Cup tie against Swansea Town. He became Preston's first-choice goalkeeper for the 1961/2 season, playing in the second division. (Preston had been relegated in 1961 and never returned to the top division.) In a fourteen-year career with Preston, Kelly made a record-breaking 513 appearances, keeping 126 clean sheets in his 447 league appearances, another club record. He won no major trophies with the club, but received a runners-up medal in the FA Cup final on 2 May 1964, when Preston were dramatically beaten by a last-minute goal to lose 3–2 to West Ham United. On the day, he was one of his team's outstanding performers, making several acrobatic saves despite suffering a hip injury late in the second half. He was named Preston player of the year for 1966/7 by the club's supporters. Preston were relegated to the third division in 1970, but won the third division title at the first attempt in 1970/71 and returned to the second division. Kelly played his last game for Preston against Bristol City on 15 September 1973, during which he suffered a shoulder injury that ended his playing career.
He played 47 times for Ireland (FAI), winning his first cap at the age of 20 on 25 November 1956 in one of Ireland's most memorable games, a 3–0 victory in a home friendly against West Germany, who were then world champions. Kelly was singled out in press reports as one of Ireland's best performers, making several crucial saves to keep the Germans scoreless. His second appearance was rather less successful, when England beat Ireland 5–1 at Wembley in a World Cup qualifier on 8 May 1957. In a difficult game for such a young and inexperienced goalkeeper, he received some rough treatment in aerial battles with the powerful English forwards, and was at fault for at least two of the goals conceded. The Irish selectors concluded that he lacked the physical presence for international football, and he was not picked to play for Ireland again for another five years. He returned in a 3–2 defeat by Austria at Dalymount on 8 April 1962, during which he suffered concussion in bringing off a tremendous save and had to retire after 34 minutes. Afterwards he kept his place for nine games, and was superb in a 1–0 victory over Scotland at Dalymount on 9 June 1963. The following year, he helped Ireland reach the European championship quarter-finals; they lost the second leg 2–0 against Spain on 8 April 1964 in Dublin, but Kelly gave one of the best performances ever seen from an Irish goalkeeper to keep the score down. This was the case for much of his international career: in defeats to Spain on 7 December 1966 (2–0), Poland on 6 May 1970 (2–1) and the Soviet Union on 13 May 1973 (1–0), Kelly was outstanding but, in a poorly prepared team that struggled to compete at the highest level in international football, his job was often one of damage limitation. He recalled, though, that playing for his country gave him the proudest moments of his playing career, none more so than on 18 October 1972, when in a World Cup qualifier at Lansdowne Road against the Soviet Union he became the first goalkeeper to captain Ireland. He played his last international game in a 1–1 draw with Norway in Oslo on 6 June 1973. On his retirement with 47 caps, he was the Republic of Ireland's most capped player until overtaken by John Giles in 1977, and the most capped goalkeeper until surpassed by Packie Bonner in 1991.
When his playing career ended, Kelly joined the Preston coaching staff, managing the reserve team and becoming assistant manager under Nobby Stiles in July 1977. During this time, he was instrumental in persuading the talented young Preston defender Mark Lawrenson to declare for Ireland. In 1983 Kelly was appointed manager of Preston, but resigned in February 1985 after a run of poor results. He also had a managerial role with the international team. During Giles's reign as Ireland manager (1973–80), Kelly often acted as his goalkeeping coach, team trainer and assistant manager, standing in for him when he could not be present, most notably in a 1–0 victory over West Germany on 11 March 1975. His professionalism and footballing knowledge were much appreciated by his former teammates, and made an important contribution to the improved performances of the Irish team in the mid 1970s. After Giles's resignation, Kelly managed Ireland for one game, a 2–0 victory in a home friendly against Switzerland on 30 April 1980. He was offered the manager's role with a three-year contract, but the Preston directors made clear their unhappiness at the prospect of his dividing time between club and country. Kelly also had a sports business in Preston that took up much of his time and decided against taking the Irish job.
After leaving Preston in 1985 he became a goalkeeping coach at Everton, before moving to the USA and spending five seasons with Washington's DC United (1997–2002). He led them to several trophies: the MLS Supporters' Shield (1997, 1999), the MLS Cup championship (1997, 1999), CONCACAF Champions' Cup (1998), and the Inter American Cup championship (1998).
A quiet, pleasant, somewhat shy man, who never swore, Kelly had a natural humility and never boasted of his achievements. He was, though, an entertaining raconteur who enjoyed a laugh with his teammates, and a popular figure at all the clubs where he played and coached. As a coach he was straight-talking but courteous, and good at teaching the basic skills of the game to young players (especially goalkeepers), many of whom remembered him with great fondness. He spent his final years in Gaithersburg, Maryland, working as a goalkeeping coach. After being ill for some time with colon cancer, he died on 20 May 2009 in Washington, DC. In accordance with his wishes, his body was donated for medical research to the George Washington Medical Center. Bray Wanderers made him an honorary life president, and a stand was named after him in Preston's ground at Deepdale. He was also included in the FAI's Hall of Fame. Two of his three sons were professional goalkeepers: Gary (b. 1966) had a successful career with Newcastle United, Bury and Oldham Athletic, while Alan (b. 1968) played with Preston and Sheffield United, was capped 34 times by the Republic of Ireland (1993–2002), and was also a coach with the national team.