A Northern Ireland international goalkeeper and one-time Belfast Celtic player, Hugh Kelly played over a hundred league and cup games for Exeter City during the first half of the 1950s. He joined the club from Southampton and later played for Weymouth having also appeared for Fulham. 

A Northern Irish international who won four caps between in 1949 and 1950, Hugh was 29-years-old and playing for Belfast Celtic when he signed for Fulham in March 1949.  Having earlier appeared for Glenavon he made 25 league outings for the Cottagers before signing for Southampton in August 1950 where he featured 28 times in the league.

Signing for Exeter City in June 1952, Hugh made his debut against Queen's Park Rangers on the opening day of the 1952-53 season and notched up 37 league appearances in his first season followed by 35 during his second campaign. Hugh, who married a woman from Exeter, briefly attracted the renewed attention of Fulham in May 1954 but remained at Exeter until the end of the 1955/56 season even though he was only a first-team regular until the end of March 1955 when he was firstly replaced by Alec Bell and then George Hunter. 

Hugh had a brief spell at Weymouth before setting up a business in Belfast where he died in 1977.