At 18, I debuted for Liverpool and even earned the chance to represent England, yet now I’m struggling to secure a place with any club. Despite my early success and international experience, finding a team willing to sign me has become unexpectedly difficult.

Martin Kelly’s journey with Liverpool spanned nearly two decades, beginning when he joined as a young boy and continuing until his transfer to Crystal Palace. Though not a widely recognized name, he’s known to many football fans: the center-back debuted for Liverpool at 18 and later represented England before an eight-year Premier League stint with Crystal Palace.

Kelly started with Liverpool in 1997, moving through the ranks over 11 years before making his debut as a substitute for Jamie Carragher in a Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven. His senior career at Liverpool ran from 2008 to 2014, but injuries limited his appearances, causing him to miss over 100 games. Early in the 2012-13 season, a serious cruciate ligament injury sidelined him, and he struggled to get playing time the following year. Manager Brendan Rodgers remarked in May 2014, “Martin has been really unfortunate. He was out for a year. He came back this season, and at the beginning of the season, we put him into some games.”

“But as the season wore on and we were concentrating on one game a week, it was very difficult for him to get games. He’s a quality player and he’s a good guy as well – he knows the club inside out.”

Shortly after, Kelly moved to Palace, where he made 148 appearances over eight seasons before signing with West Brom in 2022. Unfortunately, he only played seven times in two seasons at West Brom due to another major knee injury while on loan at Wigan and was released earlier this year. He shared his gratitude upon leaving, stating: “I would like to thank all the fans, staff, and players at West Brom for the support throughout the last two seasons.” Reflecting on his time there, he added, “Although my time was difficult at times with my knee injury, the staff worked as tirelessly as I did to get back to a place where I feel back to my optimal fitness. Keep having that fantastic togetherness, and I’m sure you will be back where you belong in the Premier League.”

With a history of severe injuries, Kelly might need a club willing to take a risk on him. He trained with Salford City during the summer and there’s speculation of him potentially taking on a coaching role there. However, he hasn’t officially retired from playing, and at 34, he may believe he can still make an impact in the lower leagues.