Jack Kelsey
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alfred John Kelsey | ||
| Date of birth | 19 November 1929 | ||
| Place of birth | Llansamlet, Swansea, Wales | ||
| Date of death | 18 March 1992 (aged 62) | ||
| Place of death | London, England | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Winch Wen | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1949–1963 | Arsenal | 327 | (0) |
| National team | |||
| 1954–1962 | Wales | 41 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Alfred John "Jack" Kelsey (19 November 1929 – 18 March 1992) was a Welsh international football goalkeeper, who also played for Arsenal. He is regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers to play for Wales.
Jack Kelsey was born in the Llansamlet area of Swansea.
He was spotted by an ex-Arsenal player, Les Morris, whilst Kelsey was playing for his local side, Winch Wen, then in the Swansea & District League. Morris recommended Kelsey to Arsenal, who upon watching the goalkeeper for a few games, decided to sign him. Arsenal already had an established first-choice goalkeeper at this time, in George Swindin, so Kelsey could do nothing but wait for his chance to play for the first team.
After two years in the reserves, Kelsey made his first-team debut against Charlton Athletic on 24 February 1951 at Highbury, after Swindin had received an injury; However, Kelsey's first start was not an auspicious one, as Arsenal lost 5–2, their heaviest defeat at home since November 1928. Kelsey made a total of four appearances that season, but was dropped once Swindin returned and did not feature in Arsenal's 1951–52 run to the FA Cup final.
After an entire season in the reserves, he returned to the side during the 1952–53 season, sharing goalkeeping duties with Swindin and Ted Platt; he made 29 appearances in a side that won the First Division title. With a rugged build and consistently solid catching, Kelsey managed to fully oust Swindin from the side (Swindin making only two appearances in 1953–54) and went on to be Arsenal's first-choice goalkeeper for the next eight seasons; only a broken arm sustained in an FA Cup tie against Sheffield United in 1959 put Kelsey out of the Arsenal side for any considerable amount of time, with Jim Standen taking over in the meantime.
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