Kelly brothers join forces at Dandenong City

by Damir Kulas 0

Dandenong City have completed the double signing of brothers Shaun and James Kelly from the Port Melbourne Sharks and Moreland Zebras respectively.

27-year-old Shaun was born in Liverpool and after graduating through the youth system at Chester City, he made his senior debut for The Blues in April 2007.

After a short loan spell with Vauxhaull Motors in Conference North, Kelly returned to Deva Stadium and became an important first team player for City who were at the time competing in League Two.

Relegation followed in the 2008/09 campaign before the club’s dire financial situation saw it expelled from the Conference after entering administration in early 2010.

The central defender spent time trialling with Port Vale and after scoring in a reserves outing against Burton Albion, was offered a contract by Albion boss and former Canadian international Paul Peschisolido.

After making four first team appearances for Burton, he moved to Wales and spent two years playing for Welsh Premier League outfit Bala Town before migrating to Australia in 2012.

Following a short spell with Shepparton United, he joined South Melbourne mid-season and scored four goals in seven league appearances as he finished the campaign by winning the club’s Golden Boot.

A return to England over the off-season saw him join Halifax Town before returning to Lakeside Stadium for the 2013 VPL campaign.

An ever-present throughout the season, Kelly made 21 league appearances and scored two goals before spending 2014 sidelined through injury after breaking his foot.

He joined Port Melbourne in late 2014 and was appointed club captain at the Sharks, spending the next two years at JL Murphy Reserve.

The defender made 42 appearances for the club, scoring two goals with his header in a Round 25 1-0 win over Hume City guaranteeing Port survival from the drop.

The defender is expected to form a formidable partnership in defence with veteran captain John Carroll who re-signed for the club for another campaign.

Younger brother James is reunited with his older brother having originally joined Port Melbourne upon touching down in Melbourne in late 2014.

A former Bolton Wanderers youth player, the midfielder left Reebok Stadium early that year and later featured for Shaun’s old side Bala Town.

Despite signing for the Sharks, he joined the Moreland Zebras ahead of the 2015 NPL2 campaign and was instrumental in the club’s second place finish in the West standings.

After missing out on automatic promotion, the Zebras were defeated by Melbourne Victory Youth in the play-off game with Kelly scoring 5 goals in 23 league appearances.

2016 proved to be a more frustrating season for the former Wanderer who scored once in 18 games as he struggled with injury throughout the year.

The duo join Mate Dugandzic as Stuart Munro’s first few signings for the 2017 NPL2 East campaign with the club also confirming the re-signings of Carroll, goalkeeper Damir Salcin and midfielders Enes Sivic and Shaun Filipovic.

The signing of the Kelly brothers means the English pair occupy the club’s two visa spots left vacated following the departures of Welsh winger Ross Frame and Argentine attacker Gonzalo Freddi earlier this week.