By Jacob Greenwood
Arguably Woking’s signing of the summer so far saw Josh Kelly join permanently on a two-year contract, with a club option for a third year. Woking fans will be familiar with Kelly following his loan spell last season, but what can they expect from the forward now he is here to stay? Cardinals1887 spoke to Daily Mirror journalist and AFC Wimbledon supporter Sam Elliot to find out more.
Kelly arrived at AFC Wimbledon with high expectations. However, he struggled to fully reach his potential at Plough Lane.
“Many Wimbledon fans are still struggling to understand quite why it just didn’t work out for him,” Elliot reflected. “He had everything us fans needed. Workrate? Check. Hunger? Absolutely. Ability? That was clear. It’s not often we shell out six figures for anyone, in fact he’s the only one we ever have done for. It should have worked and with a different wind, it might have done.”
“In truth, we were all waiting for that moment. You know, that late winner in front of the fans. The game-changing performance from the bench. The goal that got his career at the club going,” Elliot explained. “The supporters craved it, but it just never arrived.”
External Pressures and Transfer Timing
Arriving in January 2024, his performances were frequently compared to others in the squad and beyond, creating an undercurrent of pressure from sections of the fanbase.
“Playing a bit part since his arrival, he wasn’t helped by events elsewhere,” Elliot noted. “In that window we were linked with another National League forward in Lotent Tolaj from those-who-cannot-be-mentioned [Aldershot Town]. Wimbledon didn’t pick Kelly, the truth is Port Vale were able to pay the £300,000 they wanted. But some supporters were convinced we’d put our energy into the wrong guy as Tolaj took Vale to League One, Kelly was sidelined.”
The Woking Project and the Defoe Factor
Kelly will be looking to learn from Jermain Defoe, who scored over 150 goals in the Premier League. Elliot believes that this environment, coupled with regular first-team football, could unlock the forward’s undeniable potential.
“I’m pleased he hasn’t taken the easy option and returned to Solihull Moors, like Joe Sbarra who also failed to make his mark at Doncaster Rovers,” Elliot said. “Especially considering who he is working with. One criticism levelled at him was his conversion rate, and if someone like Jermain Defoe can’t point you in the right direction, then no one can. If he is fit and firing then Woking will see the player Dons fans didn’t quite get.”
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