DAVID KELLY AND LES ROBINSON
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Kelly turns down Telford
bbc.co.uk, 29 July 2002 Telford United have missed out on signing former Newcastle United and Wolves striker David Kelly. The 36-year-old spent part of the pre-season build-up with the Nationwide Conference club but has opted instead to sign for Irish club Derry City. "He enjoyed his time with us but he said he would like to have a season in Ireland," said Telford boss Jake King. "He had a great year up in Scotland at Motherwell and said he would like to do the same in Ireland. "It's also a big thing for him to go over there and for Derry to have him." Kelly won 26 caps for the Republic of Ireland and scored nine times for his country. He has scored 250 senior goals in a career which has also taken him to West Ham, Leicester City and Tranmere. He finished last season at Mansfield Town and helped them to promotion from Division Three following his departure from Motherwell in January. King had hoped that Kelly would provide the experience to help young frontmen Peter Smith and Paul Moore. ---------- PITMEN SNAP UP ROBINSON - 29/07/2002 Ian Painter, manager of Dr Martens League Premier Division club Hednesford Town, has snapped up veteran Les Robinson from Mansfield Town. The versatile 35-year-old was a vertual ever-present as the Stags won promotion to the Second Division last season and before that Robinson experienced promotion on three separate occasions with Oxford United. Painter said: "I'm chuffed to bits. Les will prove a vital signing for this club. Although he's 35, Les is extremely fit and a very good defender ho can also operate in midfield. "He played 50 games for Mansfield the previous season, which shows his consistency, and still had a year to run on his existing contract. That has no been settled. "Les turned down the chance of remaining in the Football league with Notts County and was also interesting both Worcester City and Tamworth. "The great thing about Les is he's a cast-iron certainty. You know exactly what you're going to get and he wants to continue playing." Painter, who has already signed defenders Chris Brindley, Stuart Ryder and Darren Simkin from his previous club Stafford Rangers, is also poised to add a fourth in former Nuneaton Borough and Shrewsbury attacker Shaun Wray, who scored as the Pitmen defeated Midland Alliance side Chasetown 2-0 last week. Painter is also running the rule over ex-Wolves and Chesterfield striker Mark Jones, who was with Scottish side Raith Rovers last term. |
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