LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Thursday, August 19, 2010: Liverpool's Milan Jovanovic, Ryan Babel, Martin Kelly and Christian Poulsen form a defensive wall during the UEFA Europa League Play-Off 1st Leg match against Trabzonspor at Anfield. (Pic by: David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool negotiated unusual injury clause in defender’s contract

Liverpool are not averse to breaking the mould under the current ownership – and at one time that included the negotiation of a rare injury clause in a new contract.

Fenway Sports Group have lifted Liverpool to remarkable heights in their 15 years of owning the club, but it took a long time before they were able to compete.

Their frugal spending courted criticism in the early years, and according to academy graduate Martin Kelly that also extended to their negotiations over his contract.

Kelly – who played for the Liverpool Legends for the first time in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Chelsea – signed a new deal with the club in 2013 which included an unusual clause relating to his injuries.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, January 5, 2014: Liverpool's Martin Kelly in action against Oldham Athletic during the FA Cup 3rd Round match at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

“At the time I did my ACL under Brendan [Rodgers], I was in the process of negotiating a new deal,” Kelly told The Athletic‘s James Pearce.

“I still got the extension, but it came with certain terms and conditions when I was back fit.

“If I was injured for more than four weeks, I’d get a 40 percent decrease in my wages. The PFA told me it was the first time they’d heard of anyone having a clause like that.

“Thankfully, I stayed fit, but it was definitely on my mind in training.”

LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, October 11, 2025: Liverpool's Martin Kelly during the LFC Foundation match between Chelsea FC Legends and Liverpool FC Legends at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Kelly had been around Liverpool’s first-team squad for five seasons by that point, but he went on to make just eight more appearances before departing for Crystal Palace in 2014.

Still only 35, the versatile defender has now retired from football having not found the right club since his departure from West Brom just over a year ago.

A second ACL injury while on loan at Wigan in 2023 eventually forced the decision, though it was not until the invitation to play for Liverpool Legends that he made his mind up.

“I’ve never actually got around to writing the social media post to announce it; I’ve only told friends and family, but yeah, I’ve retired,” he confirmed.

“It was March when I sat down with the family and told them I was thinking about it.

“Around the same time, I got asked to play for Liverpool in a legends game against Chelsea. One of the stipulations was that you had to be retired, so that just reaffirmed my decision.”

Kelly was one of five Liverpool players to last the full 90 minutes in the 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge along with Martin Skrtel, Ragnar Klavan, Fabio Aurelio and academy player-coach Jay Spearing.

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