As a young girl who was deeply involved in her father’s football conversations with his peers, Kelly Cates was ideally positioned to take on the role of host for Match Of The Day.

Her father is Sir Kenny Dalglish, a monumental icon in football, celebrated for his remarkable tenure with Celtic and Liverpool, where he earned an impressive tally of 102 Scottish caps, three European Cups, and a plethora of league titles as both a player and manager.

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Her childhood included familiar faces like fellow Liverpool legends Graeme Souness and Alan Hansen, who are both respected analysts today.

Graeme, who had once babysat her, remarked, “She excels in this role because she’s been around football since she was young, absorbing our lighthearted exchanges.

“I often found myself in the living room with Alan Hansen chiming in, sharing insights and banter.

“Through all this, she developed a deep understanding of the football landscape.”

While Kelly has learned from some of the sport’s most distinguished personalities, her own remarkable talent as a presenter has propelled her to the forefront of sports media.

Currently, alongside colleagues Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman, the 49-year-old is prepared to take the helm of the Match Of The Day show, following Gary Lineker.

In a significant achievement for the BBC, it appears they have managed to tempt Kelly from Sky Sports to host its flagship football program.

Nevertheless, she may still receive messages from her father if he is not satisfied with the commentary from her guests during her broadcasts.

Last month, she disclosed, “He is known to text me while I’m on air, especially when my mum isn’t around.

Selleck ’tache

“It usually happens when he has no one else to share his thoughts with.

Deciding against signing my Sky Sports contract was the scariest decision I’ve ever made

“He tends to catch bits of our discussions and messages me his feedback.

“If something really frustrates him, he may even call me on the way home.”

The oldest of four siblings, Kelly spent her childhood in Southport, Merseyside, after her father moved from Celtic to Liverpool in 1977.

Her mother, Marina, once pointed out, “Glasgow and Liverpool share many traits.

“The warmth of the people in both cities made our transition seamless.”

At that time, Kelly was almost two years old, while her brother Paul, who would later play for Newcastle, Norwich, and Wigan, was still a baby.

Two more sisters, Lynsey and Lauren, soon arrived.

A fervent Liverpool supporter, Kelly reminisced: “As a baby, my mother took me to see my dad play during matches.

My earliest memories include spending time in the players’ lounge with other players’ children.

Kelly Cates

“I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t attending football matches.

“My earliest memories revolve around being in the players’ lounge, interacting with the kids of other players.”

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Occasionally, Graeme helped out with childcare for Kelly.

A nostalgic black-and-white image from 1979 shows a young Kelly cheekily sticking her tongue out at the tough midfielder, distinguished by a Tom Selleck-like mustache and tousled hair.

He fondly reminisced, “Kenny and I shared a room for over a decade with Liverpool and Scotland, so I often spent time at his home.

“Being single, I’d show up for Christmas meals.

“I’d take Kelly out in her stroller in the afternoons as a sort of informal babysitter.

Being single, I would turn up for Christmas lunch. I’d volunteer to take Kelly out in her pram in the afternoons.

Graeme Souness

“Unknowingly, she introduced me to some lovely young women.

“As we strolled, I received remarks like, ‘What a beautiful baby!’”

Despite her father’s legendary status as a star for Liverpool and Scotland, Kelly remarked, “At home, he was just Dad.

“I remember going to a Rod Stewart concert at Ibrox when I was about seven and finding it odd how he was constantly asked for autographs. It puzzled me; I thought, ‘What could they possibly want from him?’

“His teammates were simply Dad’s friends to me, hanging out and discussing football.”

Her attempts to play the sport didn’t yield great success.

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Kelly shared her childhood football experiences: “At the age of 11, while playing on concrete, I miscalculated a run down the wing, fell, and knocked myself out.

“That effectively put an end to my brief football career.”

After completing A-levels in disciplines like maths, further maths, physics, and chemistry, she was accepted into the University of Glasgow to study mathematics.

However, when Sky Sports News launched in 1998, she courageously opted to leave her studies to join this burgeoning channel.

She explained: “The channel was looking for young individuals who were passionate about football.

“The project was fresh off the ground, and with few viewers at the time, they sought keen, youthful talent instead of risking established personnel.

‘Go and play at being on the telly!’

“Leaving university was a significant decision, but I thought, ‘This may be an opportunity that doesn’t come again.’”

Kelly cites Des Lynam as a pivotal influence in her broadcasting career—he hosted Match Of The Day in the 1990s with remarkable grace—and also respects Gabby Logan, who, like her, has a footballing heritage through her father, former Welsh international and manager Terry Yorath.

“Des was the gold standard for me.

“He was deeply in touch with fans and approached every detail with care.

“I admired that style, one that I strive to emulate, acknowledging that I’m not quite there yet.

“Gabby’s career trajectory has always fascinated me; it has been incredible to watch her rise through the ranks.”

Despite a traditionally male-dominated field, Kelly asserts: “I didn’t blaze a trail; many like Gabby and Hazel Irvine did the hard yards before me.

“I didn’t encounter blatant sexism, though I know some female reporters have.

“While we now see more women in front of the camera, I hope this is reflected with equal representation behind the scenes as well.

“As I’ve grown older, I feel a strong responsibility to aid younger women entering this space.”

After her stint at Sky Sports News, Kelly transitioned to interviewer and presenter roles with Setanta and ESPN.

She also reported for ITV during the 2010 World Cup and worked for Channel 4 at the 2012 Paralympics.

Kelly hosted a Football League highlights show for Channel Five prior to her return to Sky Sports in 2016.

At the helm

Initially hosting Football League matches, she later established herself as a respected presenter for major Premier League fixtures.

Collaborating with pundits like Gary Neville, Jamie “Carra” Carragher, and Roy Keane, she believes we are currently experiencing a “golden age” of sports punditry.

She stated: “It’s not always the players who excelled on the pitch that analyze the game most effectively.

“Those who genuinely commit to refining their skills are the ones who excel.

“Carra, during his playing days, would go home and obsessively study videos of Franco Baresi and other legendary defenders to better himself.”

Kelly, who also hosts a program on BBC Radio 5, is regarded as one of the UK’s leading broadcasters, highly esteemed by both colleagues and audiences alike.

Her friend and fellow presenter Gabby, 51, reflected that Kelly exhibits an “effortless broadcasting style complemented by a wealth of knowledge that rivals anyone.”

Furthermore, Gabby observed that Kelly can “silence formidable pundits like Roy Keane with just a raised eyebrow when she chooses.”

Having grown up within the football realm, Kelly understands the pressures that managers face daily.

“I’ve come across managers who may respond with anger to a question, but often it’s not aimed at me; they’re merely under tremendous pressure.”

In 2007, Kelly married TV producer Tom Cates, and together they welcomed two daughters.

They separated in 2021, and Kelly recently mentioned: “The girls spend weekends with their father.

“Despite not being together anymore, we have maintained a cordial relationship, and he is supportive, allowing us to navigate co-parenting smoothly.”

Years ago at ESPN, we had a mantra: ‘Take the sport seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously.’ That mantra resonates with me.

Kelly Cates

“The girls are maturing and seem to believe they don’t need as much from us, although they do, despite their claims.”

In 2021, Kelly expressed uncertainties about dating, stating: “I don’t have a clear sense of what makes a mid-aged, slightly overweight, mother-of-two attractive.

“This isn’t a matter of low self-esteem; I just have a hard time picturing it.

“I want to avoid squandering valuable time with a stranger.

“Imagine getting involved with someone only to discover halfway through that they annoy you—the babysitter’s time would be wasted.”

If Kelly indeed has secured a prominent role in sports broadcasting, don’t expect this grounded, unpretentious presenter to adopt a sense of superiority.

Recently, she exhibited her characteristic humility by stating: “During my previous time at ESPN, they advocated the idea of ‘Take the sport seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously’.

“In my opinion, that’s the ideal approach.”

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