Martin Kelly – Always Remembered
Queen’s Park are honoured to be playing a part in remembering Martin Kelly a decade on from his sudden passing at this Friday night’s game with Arbroath.
Martin was not only a fan of the club, he was a fantastic, knowledgeable and passionate commentator for QPTV Match Highlights, as well as being very active in both the club’s Supporters Association and Supporters Team, and a trainee journalist with a love of football.
Our meeting with the Gayfield club comes just three days before ‘Purple Day’ which was created in 2008 to get people talking about epilepsy and to assure people with the condition that they are not alone.
We believe that Friday night’s game is a great opportunity to further celebrate the life of a special young man and we are pleased to advise that the Kelly family, Martin’s parents – Brian and Bridie, as well as his sister Erin and her husband Lewis, will be our guests with representatives from Epilepsy Scotland also in attendance.
To mark Martin’s life, and his positive impact at Queen’s Park, Owen Coyle’s squad will warm up in purple Epilepsy Scotland T-shirts with the name Kelly on the back. The number one will also be on the shirts as Martin was known as ‘Safehands’ due to his goalkeeping exploits with the Supporters side.
The T-shirts will be signed by our first team players and will be handed over to the Kelly family, Epilepsy Scotland, our Supporters Association and Supporters Team in sufficient numbers to be kept as mementos and to support any fund-raising activities they may wish to hold.
The Team-sheets for the game will be unique as they will recognise Martin and our support of Epilepsy Scotland with a cash collection being organised by the Supporters Association ahead of the game both on the buses taking them to Ochilview and at the ground.
Since Martin’s death at the age of just 27 our Supporters Association Travel Club have awarded The Martin Kelly Award for the Queen’s Park Player of the Year and last season Erin handed over the trophy to Jai Quitongo.
On Friday the roles will be reversed as our goalkeeper, Calum Ferrie, will present a signed goalkeeper top, also with Kelly and number 1 on the back, to Martin’s family pitch side, and a pair of signed gloves with everyone at the club delighted that ‘our number 1 is recognising the original and best Safehands.’
The club’s Head of Commercial Kieran Koszary said: “I was not at the club when Martin was involved however I have learnt from a lot of people how much Queen’s Park meant to him and what he meant to Queen’s Park.”
“I am delighted that we are able to mark ‘Purple Day’ along with Epilepsy Scotland and Martin’s family. I am really pleased they have accepted our invitation to come along and I hope that they, and the people at the club that were close to Martin, enjoy the game.”
Queen’s Park First Team Coach Owen Coyle Junior who was recently involved in a video promoting ‘Purple Day’ added: “I am delighted that we will be kitted out in purple ahead of kick-off against Arbroath. Epilepsy Scotland want to make this years ‘Purple Day’ their biggest ever and we wish them well with that.”
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