Former England international Martin Kelly holds the unwanted record for the shortest time spent on the pitch with the Three Lions. The 36-year-old defender made his debut against Norway in May 2012, replacing Phil Jones in the 88th minute of a 1-0 friendly win in Oslo. He was on the pitch for just two minutes and 43 seconds of regulation time, and six minutes and 53 seconds including stoppage time.
Kelly's Unique England Record
No player has appeared for a shorter time and won a solitary cap since then, putting Kelly in a unique position. Reflecting on the ignominy, he said: 'Apparently the shortest England career in history. I don't know for sure how accurate that is, but it's what I've been told. I'm absolutely fine with that. Making my international debut was one of the proudest moments of my life.'
From Standby to Euros
Kelly was called up by Roy Hodgson to face Norway despite not making the initial squad and being put on standby. He was later added to the Euro 2012 squad as a replacement for the injured Gary Cahill, but fell ill and didn't make a single appearance. 'It was a shame that I spent the first 10 days of the tournament in bed with a virus and never got the chance to play for England again. But just getting there meant so much after the hurdles I'd had to overcome.'
Club Career and Injuries
Kelly played 147 times in the Premier League for Liverpool and Crystal Palace, enjoying highs like a title challenge and lows like long injury spells. He suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury on his debut for Wigan Athletic in February 2023 and never played professionally again. He trained with Salford City but wasn't offered a contract, retiring in March 2025.
Life After Football
Now a football coach with a UEFA B Licence, Kelly plays seven-a-side with other retired Premier League cult heroes. 'It's an 11-a-side game on a seven-a-side pitch, so it's pretty tight, and there are usually five or six ex-pros on each side. There's no referee, we play for an hour and the losers pay for the pitch. It's surprising how much the ex-pros really don't want to have to hand a tenner over.'
