Glentoran star thanks Declan Devine for showing 'incredible faith' after not knowing if he'd play for club again following ACL injury
Josh Kelly admits he “didn’t know if I’d play for Glentoran again” after suffering a devastating ACL injury and has thanked manager Declan Devine for showing faith in him with a new one-year contract extension.
Kelly joined The Oval outfit from Ballymena United in 2023 after captaining the Sky Blues to an Irish Cup final and having made 28 appearances in his debut campaign, the 26-year-old started last season in fine form.
However, his progression was cruelly halted after picking up a long-term injury in August’s stalemate against Coleraine and Kelly only returned to the matchday squad in last month’s European play-off semi-final defeat to Cliftonville where he was an unused substitute.
His contract at the East Belfast club was due to expire this summer, but versatile Kelly has now been given a new deal until the end of next season and insists it has given him even more motivation.
“I’m absolutely delighted to commit my future to Glentoran,” said Kelly. “After a strong pre-season ahead of last season, I felt ready to push on and make a real impact.
"I was in great form, full of confidence and determined to play a big role, so to suffer an ACL injury was a devastating setback.
“At the time, I didn’t know if I’d play for Glentoran again, with my contract due to expire at the end of the season.
"But Declan Devine told me to focus on my recovery and promised my efforts would be recognised. True to his word, he’s shown incredible faith in me and this new deal gives me even more motivation to push on and come back stronger than ever.
“Being sidelined for so long has been mentally tough, but the support from Declan, the coaching staff, my teammates, and everyone at the club has been phenomenal. Making the bench for the European play-off was a major milestone in my recovery.
“I’ve already started my pre-season training ahead of the group’s return in a few weeks because I want to be in the best possible shape to hit the ground running and make a real impact next season.”
Devine praised the professionalism and determination shown by Kelly to recover from a major setback and has full confidence he’ll make a big impact next season.
“Josh was outstanding in pre-season ahead of last season, showing incredible attitude and determination to earn his place in the starting eleven,” said Devine. “His performances in the opening three games, playing at right back, were exceptional and his injury was a huge blow, not just for him personally but for the entire squad.
“Football can be cruel, but Josh has never let his head drop.
"His work ethic throughout his rehabilitation has been outstanding.
"He’s consistently one of the first to arrive at training and one of the last to leave. We’ve even had to hold him back at times, that’s how determined he’s been to push himself every day to get back on the pitch as quickly as possible.
“This new contract is a reward for his professionalism, but more importantly, it’s a reflection of the belief I have in what he can bring to the team next season.
"Once he’s back to full fitness and match sharpness, I’ve no doubt he’ll be a major asset for us.”