Paul Kee
Encyclopedia
Paul Kee is a former Northern Irish footballer who played for Oxford United
, Ards
and Reading
. During his spell at Oxford, he played 56 league games. He made 9 appearances for Northern Ireland
over a four year period.
A product of East-Belfast junior football, Paul Kee was one of the brightest young goalkeepers in the Irish League, picking up Northern Ireland caps at Under-15, Under-16 and Under-18 level. Following a short Irish League career with Ards he joined Oxford United when just 18 in June 1988, making his League debut in a Division Two clash away to Middlesbrough on 25th November 1989. At 20 he made his Full international debut in a friendly against Norway in March 1990. The game ended in a 3-2 defeat, and the following month he played in an Under-21 game against Israel in Coleraine.
During the 1990/91 season Kee played in every one of Northern Irelands games and during the 4-1 defeat by Yugoslavia in March 1991 he is reported to have went to his gloves’ bag, pulled out a white handkerchief and waved it. A month later there followed one of the most embarrassing results in Northern Ireland’s history, a 1-1 home draw with minnows the Faroe Islands.
The following season Kee had dropped down the pecking order at Oxford, and also lost his place in the Northern Ireland squad to Tommy Wright (Northern Irish footballer) and Alan Fettis. Over the next few seasons he made intermittent appearances for Oxford and spent several spells out on loan, including back at Ards. He made his final League appearance for Oxford at home to Portsmouth on 14th September 1993, and the following summer he returned to Ards on a permanent deal.
Early in the 1994/95 season Northern Ireland were suffering a goalkeeping crisis, and with both Fettis and Wright injured Kee was recalled to the squad along with Linfield’s Wes Lamont. In October 1994 Kee put in an excellent performance in 2-1 victory in Austria but a month later he was responsible for at least two of the goals in a 4-0 home defeat by the Republic of Ireland. The return to fitness of Alan Fettis in 1995 finally ended any hopes Kee had of winning further caps.
Kee spent the next decade playing football for a number of clubs all over Ireland. During a season at Cobh Ramblers, he took over the goalkeeping position from one Nicky Byrne, who would later go on to find worldwide fame as a member of the pop group, Westlife. He spent the latter part of the 2001 season as goalkeeping coach at Bohemian F.C.
http://www.kickinmagazine.ie/pkee1522001.htm. Kee announced his retirement from playing at the end of the 2002/03 season, though agreed to act as back-up 'keeper for Glentoran through the following campaign http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/northern_ireland/2836313.stm. The form and fitness of Elliott Morris meant he was never called upon.
Kee went on to join the Glentoran staff as Goalkeeping Coach. He fulfilled the same role with Bangor and, since August 2010, with Ards.
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
, Ards
Ards F.C.
Ards F.C. is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in IFA Championship 1. The club, founded in 1900, is from Newtownards, but plays its home matches at Dixon Park in Ballyclare, which it shares with Ballyclare Comrades...
and Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
. During his spell at Oxford, he played 56 league games. He made 9 appearances for Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
over a four year period.
A product of East-Belfast junior football, Paul Kee was one of the brightest young goalkeepers in the Irish League, picking up Northern Ireland caps at Under-15, Under-16 and Under-18 level. Following a short Irish League career with Ards he joined Oxford United when just 18 in June 1988, making his League debut in a Division Two clash away to Middlesbrough on 25th November 1989. At 20 he made his Full international debut in a friendly against Norway in March 1990. The game ended in a 3-2 defeat, and the following month he played in an Under-21 game against Israel in Coleraine.
During the 1990/91 season Kee played in every one of Northern Irelands games and during the 4-1 defeat by Yugoslavia in March 1991 he is reported to have went to his gloves’ bag, pulled out a white handkerchief and waved it. A month later there followed one of the most embarrassing results in Northern Ireland’s history, a 1-1 home draw with minnows the Faroe Islands.
The following season Kee had dropped down the pecking order at Oxford, and also lost his place in the Northern Ireland squad to Tommy Wright (Northern Irish footballer) and Alan Fettis. Over the next few seasons he made intermittent appearances for Oxford and spent several spells out on loan, including back at Ards. He made his final League appearance for Oxford at home to Portsmouth on 14th September 1993, and the following summer he returned to Ards on a permanent deal.
Early in the 1994/95 season Northern Ireland were suffering a goalkeeping crisis, and with both Fettis and Wright injured Kee was recalled to the squad along with Linfield’s Wes Lamont. In October 1994 Kee put in an excellent performance in 2-1 victory in Austria but a month later he was responsible for at least two of the goals in a 4-0 home defeat by the Republic of Ireland. The return to fitness of Alan Fettis in 1995 finally ended any hopes Kee had of winning further caps.
Kee spent the next decade playing football for a number of clubs all over Ireland. During a season at Cobh Ramblers, he took over the goalkeeping position from one Nicky Byrne, who would later go on to find worldwide fame as a member of the pop group, Westlife. He spent the latter part of the 2001 season as goalkeeping coach at Bohemian F.C.
Bohemian F.C.
Bohemian F.C. , more commonly referred to as Bohemians, is a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. Bohemians compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the third most successful club in League of Ireland football history, having won the League of Ireland title 11...
http://www.kickinmagazine.ie/pkee1522001.htm. Kee announced his retirement from playing at the end of the 2002/03 season, though agreed to act as back-up 'keeper for Glentoran through the following campaign http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/northern_ireland/2836313.stm. The form and fitness of Elliott Morris meant he was never called upon.
Kee went on to join the Glentoran staff as Goalkeeping Coach. He fulfilled the same role with Bangor and, since August 2010, with Ards.