The 1907-08 New Zealanders, led by Albert Baskiville, who came over to England were real pioneers. Their inaugural Test Matches against the Northern Union were the start of true international competition in the thirteen a side code. Such was their success, that it was only a matter of time before their best players were snapped up by English clubs. Perhaps the most famous was Lancelot (Lance) Todd, who signed for Wigan. A member of that touring team was a dapper little scrum-half called Arthur Kelly, who did not play in either of the two fixtures against St.Helens at Knowsley Road. He did play against Wales, on the wing and was at left centre in the First Test match at Leeds at Headingley on 25th January 1908. In December 1908, Kelly became the Saints first-ever overseas signing, which caused tremendous interest in the town. Born in Petone, Wellington he stood 5ft 6ins in height and 10st 6lbs. Despite his young age (22) he was an experienced footballer, having played through the various grades of football in New Zealand, until he reached First Grade. Arthur or Podge, as he became known, was a courageous, even reckless, player, who seemed to relish nothing more than a headlong dive in the direction of on-coming footballers to stop a dribble developing. Arthur was a popular figure at Knowsley Road and his presence enabled the club to sign another member of the 1907-08 squad, Jum Turtill, who was his friend. Arthur stayed at Saints for six years, but the team was never really good enough to compete for major honours and Arthur himself found competition for the number 7 jersey intense with the likes of Fred Trenwith and Matt Creevey around and he made 64 appearances for the First Team. He became Player-Coach and Captain of the A Team and they won the Lancashire Shield in 1913-14 as a result of his steadying influence. The St.Helens Newspaper informed its readers that the St.Helens club would be somewhat below-strength for the start of the 1914-15 campaign, as a result of a burgeoning conflict in Europe: “The club will be short of some of their regular players this season. Immediately on the declaration of war by Great Britain, Arthur Kelly, the popular captain of the ‘A’ Team, joined the Corps of Colonials which had been formed by the oversees and colonial residents in England and he is now stationed in Shepherds Bush. Manchester and Mosedale, being Reservists, have rejoined the colours and W Woods, F.Molyneux, Roughsedge and another of the players are Territorials and, of course, will not be available.” That was the end of Arthur Kelly at Knowsley Road. He survived the terrible conflict,however and stayed in the UK, living in the Oldham district until his death in 1965. He was the first of many superb players from New Zealand over the years and a member of a special group of men who were true pioneers for the Code. http://www.saints.org.uk/saints.org.uk/home/viewpage.php?page_id=10
