The club decided to bring in Josh Kelly from Solihull Moors, finalizing the transfer on deadline day. However, the rest of the season didn’t go as hoped, with Kelly managing to score only twice before it ended.
During the pre-season, Kelly appears to have found his form, leading many to hope that he will have an impressive 2024/25 season and justify the club’s investment in him from January.
For AFC Wimbledon in the 2023/24 season, Kelly faced the significant challenge of replacing Al-Hamadi. Not only was he expected to fill the goal-scoring void left by the Iraqi striker, but he also needed to build the strong partnership Al-Hamadi had with fellow striker Omar Bugiel.
Following his capture from the National League, it became very clear early on that, despite having likely put time and research into the signing of Kelly, the Dons were still going to play more to the strengths of Bugiel, as well as the departed Al-Hamadi, with Johnnie Jackson favouring a long ball tactic in the hope that Kelly could run on to any loose balls in behind or collect any knockdowns from his strike partner.
This is perhaps the primary reason why Kelly just never quite clicked with the Dons during the latter part of the 23/24 season and why he never found his scoring touch but it’s also fair to say that the sitters he missed early on in his time at the club dented his confidence in front of goal too.
Towards the end of the season, though, the Windsor-born forward did begin to show spurts of promise, with the defeat away at Tranmere Rovers finally showing Wimbledon fans his ability to poach in the box as he came away with two goals to his name. However, the final home game against Walsall did not produce any more strikes, and Kelly ended the season with only two goals to his name, despite having made 17 appearances.
| Josh Kelly’s League Two Stats 2023-24 | |
| Appearances | 17 |
| Average Minutes Per Game | 65 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Shots Per Game | 1.1 |
| Shots on Target Per Game | 0.4 |
| Touches Per Game | 15.4 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Key Passes Per Game | 0.4 |
| Successful Dribbles Per Game | 0.5 |
| Total Duels Won Per Game | 2.5 |
| Stats Correct As Of May 4, 2024 – As Per Sofascore | |
Pre-season showing promise for Josh Kelly and AFC Wimbledon
Fans and staff alike hoped that the post-season break and pre-season would help Kelly not only relax and move past his poor start with the Dons but also learn what was expected of him and how he would collaborate with his fellow strikers. This is exactly what has happened.
Kelly has scored in two of the Dons’ four pre-season games so far, with both goals demonstrating his development. His strike against Met Police showed that he hasn’t lost his confidence in his poaching abilities, while his goal against Charlton Athletic, the better of the two, highlighted how he and his teammates have been working hard to play to his strengths and bring out the best in him.
Following the goal against Charlton, which was a beautifully slotted finish from a tight angle after a superbly weighted pass from reunited teammate Callum Maycock, Jackson had plenty to say about his striker.
“Kells was bright and energetic when he came in, but it didn’t fall for him, did it?
“When you come in mid-season, it’s a difficult time. We didn’t have a pre-season with Josh. Now we have. We have a good body of work, and he understands what is required.
“He was doing all the right things. He just needed a little break. He has worked hard over the pre-season on what we want from our front two, in and out of possession.
“We’re seeing it day in and day out with him and Matty – they’re scoring goals in training. We have to provide the ammunition, but we have that behind now.
“He knows the level now, and I think we’re in a fortunate position – we have some good options up there.”
### Positive Signs for Kelly Indicate Success for Wimbledon
Having shown positive signs during the pre-season period for the Dons, it’s fair to say that if he can continue his promising form, Kelly will help propel the club toward the playoffs and possibly even promotion.
The Dons have built a formidable squad, with the only position still needing reinforcement being on the left side of defense. Their strikeforce is arguably the most impressive area of the team.
Wimbledon boasts the aforementioned Bugiel and Kelly from last season and has strengthened further by securing the return of Joe Pigott on loan from Leyton Orient and the permanent signing of former Forest Green Rovers striker Matty Stevens.
If Kelly can develop the chemistry with Bugiel that was missing last season, Wimbledon’s number 10 will undoubtedly be a significant goal-scoring threat. Furthermore, if he can also establish strong partnerships with Stevens and Pigott, the club will have a striker that many teams will envy this season.
Wimbledon’s strikeforce has certainly improved from the days when expensive journeymen led the line.
Jackson will have a challenging task selecting his starting forwards for the season opener against Colchester United, but pre-season has shown that Kelly can finally be relied upon in a Wimbledon shirt. The Dons have learned his strengths and how to maximize his potential.
The 25-year-old scored 39 goals in his last two-and-a-half seasons in the National League, and his hot start to 2023/24, during which he netted 13 goals in 27 appearances, surely convinced the League Two club to sign him.
It’s still early days, but the initial signs suggest that Wimbledon might see the payoff from their investment this season.
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