There were a few good points and a clear down point, but it was fleeting. In the course of six months in 1983, Billy Kellock came and went from Molineux.
But in the Northamptonshire town where he resided, his death this week at the age of 70 has prompted heartfelt condolences. He was honored at this afternoon’s Poppies home game against Alvechurch because, very simply, he was a legend of Kettering Town.
On a far greater scale, Wolves witnessed less glimpses of the abilities that have been in demand for almost ten years on the football scene. Graham Hawkins’ team was about to run out of goals when Kellock scored on his debut in a mid-March tie at Derby. He then scored twice in an early-May 3-3 draw at Charlton to earn a surprise instant return to the top division.
However, there was also a turning point that resulted in the club dumping him. Recent reports have stated that the management placed the Scottish midfielder on transfer list because to “an incident.” Although he wouldn’t elaborate, it’s thought to have been high jinks on the preseason tour of Sweden.
Regarding his choice to swiftly retrieve the £20,000 he had paid Luton from Southend, Hawkins stated unequivocally on the record, “He had done what I bought him to do.”
Whatever the reason, a player who only a few weeks before had been talking excitedly about playing in the top flight must have been hurting after losing to Roots Hall in the second tier.
He told reporters upon moving to the West Midlands that “the thought of starting afresh next season with hopefully First Division football to aim at is a very exciting one.”
It was ironic because Molineux had communicated their desire for Kellock to rekindle a promotion challenge that was waning. He was coached by Jim Barron at Peterborough, so Barron was aware of his ability to persuade people to give him an extra shove.
“My favorite position is the center of midfield, but it doesn’t matter,” Kellock had added when asked about his preferred playing position on signing day. Twenty goals is what I aim for every time. Ferocious words certainly, coming from a player who had only just avoided achieving such goals when playing non-league football and Fourth Division Posh.
The Glaswegian played for Cardiff in the 1971 FA Youth Cup final after failing to make the first team as a young player at Villa. While at Ninian Park, he also participated in a Welsh Cup final. However, in about thirty League matches for a team that was having trouble in the Second Division, he only managed a few goals.
After moving to Norwich for an unsatisfactory £50,000, he experienced a brief taste of premier league football, but he never played in the League for Millwall upon returning to the Second Division.
It should come as no surprise, though, that he made an impression on Chelmsford after signing, since he scored four goals, missed one in a Southern League Cup victory, and averaged goals per game over the course of two seasons that were significantly better than one.
That was when the seeds of his relocation to Molineux were planted. After being sent to Kettering, he excelled during the Derek Dougan era there, which was undoubtedly a contributing reason to Wolves’ late 1982–1983 player-hunting.
In just under 250 games with the Poppies, he scored 94 goals, including the game-winning goal against Dagenham that sent them to the 1979 FA Trophy final at Wembley against Stafford Rangers.
Despite the fact that the game was lost, his influence allowed him to rejoin Fourth Division Peterborough, who were frequent contenders for promotion. He became the club captain and a member of the PFA team of the year before moving for £30,000 to Luton in 1982, allegedly due to his disapproval of the lack of ambition at London Road.
He moved to Molineux and made his debut in place of an ailing Wayne Clarke on a day when John McAlle (Derby) and John Richards (Wolves) were the substitutes, after just seven senior appearances for David Pleat’s team.
After being promoted here, he was sent to the League bottom by his next team, Southend, which was then coached by Peter Morris, his previous Posh manager.
Due to his respectable performance in Essex, he was transferred to Port Vale; however, this too was only a temporary arrangement, as he soon began a 17-goal run in 43 League games for Halifax, well into his thirtys.
After that, Kellock went back to Kettering and is reported to have worked as a painter and decorator in addition to being the head of sales and marketing at a country club close to Oakham.
When we spoke with him over the phone in the fall, he was not up to the challenge of being interviewed because he had recently been diagnosed with cancer and had been in poor health.
On this matchday, Kettering’s Latimer Park ground observed a minute of silence in his honor.
We extend our deepest condolences to Billy’s family and close friends.
*John Richards, George Berry, Colin Brazier, Steve Daley, Mel Eves, Mick Kearns, Geoff Palmer, Phil Parkes and former Albion defender Paul Raven were among the mourners at the funeral of former Wolves keeper Paul Bradshaw in Altrincham yesterday.
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