Allan Moore is set to swoop for 25-year-old striker Kevin Kelbie on an 18 month deal, according to the BBC website.Although he is Scottish, Kelbie, whose contract expired last month, has spent most of his career playing in the Northern Irish Premier League with Ballymena United.
Kelbie initially moved to Belfast for work but was forced to return to Scotland to live in 2008. This meant that he would fly over for matches on a Saturday - but would train with Stirling Albion during the week. And, according to an article in last month's Daily Mirror, Moore was trying to sign Kelbie for Stirling Albion.
I am a keen follower of the Northern Irish League and although I have only seen Kelbie play once, I do know that he is well thought of across the Irish Sea and regularly finishes in the list of top scorers each season.
Last season, Kevin finished joint 8th top scorer with 16 goals (11 league and five Irish Cup) even though his team, Ballymena, are a small provincial side who finished third bottom of the table.
Kelbie started his career with Celtic and then had a season with Rangers before joining Alloa, where he played a handful of games in the Second Division in season 2003/04. From there, he moved to Belfast with Glentoran, but he failed to even complete a season in East Belfast before joining mid-Ulster side Ballymena.
Kevin spent the next five seasons at the Ballymena Showgrounds, finishing top scorer in four out of the five seasons.
bbc.co.uk - Ex-Ballymena Striker Set For Ton Move (01.06.2010)
Daily Mirror - Quinn Plans Kelbie Talks (07.05.2010)
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