It's a pleasure to recount the less than illustrious career of Liam Kelly; the ever-adventurous goalkeeper, born in dreary Scotland on 23 January 1996. Now at the ripe old age of 30, he stands a whopping 6ft 2in (1.89m) tall, scaling in at an impressive 12 stone 12lbs (82kg). Somehow, he's convinced the Rangers to let him wear the number 31 jersey, a fact that might cheer you up if you've just put on a bet at those particular odds. And on top of that, the lad has even managed a few nods from the Scotland national team. An achievement indeed.
In July 2004, the Rangers somewhat optimistically welcomed Kelly to their Premiership outfit. The 2024-25 season saw him make a brief flurry with ten first team league appearances, but he's yet to embarrass himself on the pitch this season, with no current first team league appearances to his name.
The year 2016 marked an unforgettable chapter in Kelly's illustrious career, one that saw him transferred from Rangers to East Fife, dazzling League One with 16 first team appearances. However, such a tearing pace could not be sustained, and Rangers inexplicably welcomed him back once his loan spell was completed.
Not one to stay put, Kelly sought out new challenges - namely Livingston, in 2016. Over the course of the 2016-17 and 2018-19 seasons, Kelly, ever consistent, notched up 34 and 36 league appearances respectively. His loan spell complete, he returned to Rangers with these new-found experiences.
Not to be dictated by routine or predictability, Kelly took another swing at Livingston in 2018, this time securing himself a permanent place for an undisclosed fee. The pattern continues, with 34 and 36 first team appearances in successive seasons. Barely had the ink dried on the transfer agreement, Kelly was off again, this time to Queens Park Rangers in England - again for an undisclosed fee (the lad's accountant must be thrilled).
Kelly found himself back in Scotland, with Motherwell this time, making his loan debut in 2021. With a commendable 38 first team appearances in each of the following seasons - 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24, Kelly continued to make his mark on the pitch.
In a shocking twist of fate, it seems Motherwell secured Kelly from QPR, on permanent basis this time, for yet another undisclosed fee. Did I mention that he made 38 appearances in four consecutive seasons? The lad is certainly consistent, if nothing else.
In a surprising turn, Rangers brought Kelly back into the fold in 2024, a decision that I'm sure left many a fan bemused. Appearance-wise, he's maintained his track record from his early Rangers stint with ten league outings in the 2024-25 season. And he's same as ever this season, with not a single first team appearance to date.
Oh, and let's not forget his stirring performances in the League Cup 2025-26 and the Scottish Cup the same year - one start in the former and two starts in the latter. A goalkeeper's life, it seems, never lacks for excitement.
