In a surprising turn of events on Deadline Day in 2015, Andy Kellett, now playing for Bury in the ninth tier, found himself at the center of an unexpected move. Initially on the verge of joining Plymouth Argyle, he ended up joining Manchester United on loan from Bolton Wanderers.
This last-minute switch caught many off guard, including United fans anticipating high-profile signings to bolster their Premier League title aspirations. Instead, they welcomed Kellett, a 21-year-old midfielder who had spent the previous three months on loan from Bolton at League Two side Plymouth Argyle.
Even Kellett himself was astonished by the sudden turn of events. Having already agreed to a loan deal with Plymouth for the remainder of the season, United swooped in for his services. Reflecting on the unexpected move in a 2022 interview with Daily Star Sport, Kellett shared, “The deal at Plymouth had all been agreed. So I went to the training ground on Deadline Day, quite late on actually.”
“The manager said there’s an option for you to go to Man Utd on loan if you want. So that’s how it came about. I was going down to the training ground to sign for Plymouth, and I ended up coming away signing for Man Utd. At first, I was quite shocked by it. But then further on in the night, I got quite emotional because it was quite a big thing. I can’t really remember my initial reaction; I just think I was in a bit of shock really.”
Transitioning from League Two football to Manchester United proved to be a significant leap, as Kellett quickly realized. Describing his first visit to the training ground, he said, “It was quite surreal. Obviously, I’d been to Carrington before, having played games for Bolton in the U14s and U16s and that, but I’d never been inside the building.”
