CORNISH football was this week left mourning one of its greatest goalscoring heroes following the untimely death of Tony Kellow at the Royal Cornwall Hospital on Sunday.

Tony, who was 58, became a legend not only in Cornwall, but also in Devon where he made his mark as a professional with Exeter City before going on to play for a number of league clubs who sought his goalscoring prowess.

Despite having been in the spotlight throughout his career, Tony was an extremely modest person and always played down his achievements.

Much revered at Exeter City even to this day where he still enjoys iconic status with an internet radio show named after him – Kellow’s Bootlaces – he was a real star of his generation but never regarded himself as one. He never forgot his roots or the people who he grew up with and until his death still remained a charismatic figure.

Born in May 1952, Tony came from a sporting family background and he honed his early skills in the village in which he lived, Budock Water, before taking his first steps into senior football with Falmouth Docks in the Cornwall Combination League at the age of 16.

He began to make a name for himself after joining Penzance in 1970. In 1972-73 Tony helped them to a 4-2 win in the Cornwall Senior Cup against Falmouth Town, the first time the Magpies had won the trophy since 1960-61.

Having been victims of his potential, Falmouth Town, at the time the biggest club in the county, enticed the rising star to Bickland Park the following season in a bid to help maintain their domination of the Western League.

He didn’t disappoint and from 1973-74 to 1975-76 Tony found the back of the net on an amazing 126 occasions from 114 appearances and it was that ruthlessness in front of goal that prompted Exeter City to offer him his chance in the pro game.

He took St James Park by storm and grabbed a brace of goals on his debut and during his three spells with the club became their record goalscorer with 150 goals in all competitions.

In his first two seasons he amassed 40 goals in 107 appearances, a goalscoring record that led to Blackpool breaking their own club record transfer fee for the then considerable sum of £125,000 in November 1978 to secure his services.

Having notched 23 goals in 57 games for The Tangerines, he headed back to Exeter City in March 1980 for a then club record transfer fee of £65,000 where he remained until 1984 having scored a further 61 goals in 143 games. Three of those goals came in 1980/81 – a season in which he scored 33 goals – when he helped himself to a hat-trick in a memorable FA Cup win over Leicester City.

He left City for short spells at Plymouth Argyle, Swansea City, and Newport County before returning to Exeter City again (1985-88) where, despite in the twilight of his career, he netted 28 goals in 82 games before retiring in 1988.

Tony was so highly regarded that he was requested to take over the Exeter City supporters club at the Cat and Fiddle, but eventually he returned to Cornwall and briefly continued his involvement with football when becoming club steward and manager at Wendron United.

He spent a brief period at Mullion FC as club steward before spending a couple of seasons managing at Constantine FC where he was last involved in the game.

Tony’s brother, Philip Kellow, said Tony had no fears about playing at the highest level.

“I think he could have played at the very top level,” said Phil, “but his big break possibly came a little too late for that. He was never fazed by the big clubs who he was playing against or against some of the big players. He had many a scrap with Mick McCarthy but enjoyed every minute of it.

“There was a time when a top Turkish club came in for him, but the move never came off.

“He never lost his hunger for football and loved every minute of it. Even now I expect he’s up there on that football field in the sky still playing the game he loved.”

A true Cornishman, Tony always showed great respect to everyone he came across whether on the pitch or off it. On the field he was as hard as Cornish granite, but off it he was the complete opposite, a kind, gentle and respectful person. They were family qualities installed at an early age and never forgotten.

That is how he will be remembered by those who really knew him . . . as well as being one of Cornwall’s all-time great footballers.

The funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.

Andy Gillard, operations manager at Exeter City Football Club, was glowing in his praise of Tony Kellow: “Everyone at the club is devastated at the news. Tony was a true City legend and one of the best players ever to wear an Exeter City shirt.

“As the club’s record goalscorer, he will always have a place in Grecian hearts but it went further than that with ‘Kells’.

“He was a character, larger than life and everyone knew that, a bit of a rascal but with the gift of taking people and the fans along with him, that made him stand out more than just being a footballer.

“On the pitch, he was a crucial part of some of the club’s finest moments. Promotion in 1977 and the phenomenal Kellow and Beer partnership and, perhaps, the season that really pushed him into the spotlight, 1980-81 and that great FA Cup run.

“Who could forget the hat-trick against Leicester City? He finished that season as the country’s top scorer to win the Golden Boot.

“When the new regime at the club came in 2003, we looked to make contact with him to bring him back to the club.

“It had been a while and I think he was apprehensive about the reception he would receive. He shouldn’t have worried. Fans, friends and former colleagues were here with open arms and he soon settled in and made regular journeys back to St James Park and even turned out for the City Legends.

“Introduced on the pitch for the first time again, the ‘Hello, hello, Tony Kellow, Tony Kellow!’ chant took just seconds to be raised and he was back, at the Park, to the place we know he really loved and with people who really loved him too.

“The internet show ‘Kellow’s Bootlaces’ is named after him with the suggestion that we were not fit to lace his boots. That says it all. A piece of Exeter City’s history has now departed with Kells and we will all miss the company of an Exeter City Legend.

“Whilst we feel for our own, for the most part, we are thinking of the family and close friends, whose loss is so much greater than ours.”