Johnny Kelly played for Arthurlie before going on to play for Celtic, Greenock Morton and Barnsley were he won several caps for Scotland. He is pictured right, (far left of the picture), with his victorious Arthurlie team mates after a trophy win. He really made his name while playing for Barnsley and was adored by that clubs fans, so much so that they recently voted him their favorite player of all time. After he passed away on Jan 2nd 200, tributes poured in from the top names in the football world including Billy McNeil, who had recently presented him with a commemorative trophy for his sterling services to the Barrhead boys club. He is pictured below, (far right back row), with his Scotland teammates, including Bobby Evans.

He kept himself fit for most of his life and even in his late 60's he could be seen training round the streets of Barrhead. He was a keen follower of Arthurlie and was a regular at the ground where he used to play. he is pictured right in the hoops of Glasgow Celtic where he spent three years. A gentleman and a true sporting hero he will be sadly missed by all who knew him. He is respected in the game and in a recent who's who of Scottish football was described as 'infectiously enthusiastic for the game'

Bomber Honour

New changing rooms at the Cowan park are to be named after Barrhead legend Johnny Kelly. The former Celtic, Barnsley and Arthurlie winger is to be honored a year after his death as a finishing touch to the £1.2 million development.
Council leader Owen Taylor believes naming the new facilities after Mr. Kelly is a fitting tribute to the towns hero, who was nicknamed the Barnsley bomber by adoring fans. In an interview with the Barrhead news he said: "Jock Kelly was Barrhead's greatest ever athlete and Arthurlie's finest ever player."We will ask the council for permission to name the changing rooms after him. The people of Barrhead were very fond of him.
"He is also admired down in Barnsley. If you ask any Barnsley fan who their club's greatest ever player was, nine times out of ten, they will come back with Jock Kelly."

Plans for a major redevelopment kicked off 18 months ago following a flood of complaints about the state of the pitches.
The final whistle was sounded on the pitches after a massive backlog of cancelled fixtures led sport chiefs to tackle the problem. Lottery body sportsscotland chipped in with half a million pounds following a bid by the council in August 2000. More than 1000 children regularly play football in East Renfrewshire, according to the latest figures.
The complex will be a lasting memorial to a true great. Johnny Kelly died in January 2001 in Dykebar hospital in Paisley, aged 80. He was capped several times for Scotland and was once the subject of a then record £22,000 bid from Newcastle United.