By 1897, Kelly was 32 and increasingly too old to play at the same high level he had shown throughout his career. However, that did not end his part in the Celtic story. That same year, Celtic became a Limited Company, with shares being issued in the club.
In April 1897, Kelly was one of the people who secured some of the 5000 shares that were issued in the Celtic Football and Athletic Company. As well as this, he became a member of the Celtic Board. This started a three-and-a-half decade directorship on the Celtic Board, including five years as Chairman from 1909 to 1914.
The year that he stepped down as Chairman is remembered across the world for much more somber and significant reasons. 1914 saw the outbreak of World War One, and it was a conflict which would bring a heavy price for the Kelly family.
His sons Frank and Jim both went to war and suffered greatly. In 1919, after the end of the conflict, Frank was still in France and was killed in a train accident. Also, his brother Jim had been gassed when in the trenches and his health never fully recovered from this.
When James Kelly first arrived at Celtic, he had lived in the east end of Glasgow, close to Celtic Park. However, he then moved to Blantyre where he lived with his wife. They had ten children, who were raised in the Lanarkshire town.
In Kelly’s local community – and away from football – he was a prominent figure. As well as running pubs, he had other businesses including a hotel and engineering company. He was also involved in local politics and served in various elected positions, including as a councillor, a Justice of the Peace and also on Blantyre school board.
