Stuart Elliott

Stuart Thomas Elliott (born 27 August 1977) is an English football manager and former professional player who played as a defender or midfielder in the Football League for 11 clubs. He is the manager of club Newcastle Benfield.

Elliott started his career as a schoolboy at Arsenal, and after being released by the club he signed an apprenticeship with Newcastle United in 1995. He spent five years with the club, during which time he was loaned out seven times. He never made a first-team appearance for Newcastle, but appeared on the substitutes' bench on six occasions and eventually became captain of the reserve team.

He left the club in 2000 to join Darlington, where he played for most of the 2000–01 season before joining Plymouth Argyle in 2001. He eventually dropped down to non-League football with Durham City and Scarborough, before making a brief return to the Football League with Exeter City in 2002. Since then, he has played in non-League football, mostly with Northwich Victoria and York City before joining Grays Athletic in 2008.

Playing career Early life and career Born in Hendon, Greater London, Elliott started his career as a schoolboy with Arsenal's youth system in 1993 before being released by the club. He was then offered an apprenticeship with Newcastle United in August 1995, and on 29 August signed a professional contract with the club. He was named on the substitutes' bench for the first time for Newcastle in an away match against Southampton in the Premier League in January 1997, which was Kenny Dalglish's first match as manager. He made his debut in a 1–1 draw with Rochdale on 12 August 2000. In the second-leg on 6 September 2000, Elliott scored with a 50-yard strike from the centre circle in the 85th minute, which gave Darlington a 2–1 away win over Forest, and 4–3 on aggregate. He made 33 appearances and scored four goals before moving to Plymouth Argyle on a free transfer on 8 March 2001. Elliott's debut came in a 3–0 home win over Third Division league leaders Chesterfield on 10 March 2001 and he finished 2000–01 with 12 appearances for Plymouth. However, he instead joined Carlisle United for a one-month trial in August 2001, signing a short-term contract on 16 August. His debut came in a 0–0 away draw with Leyton Orient in the Third Division on 18 August 2001. Only several days later, he signed for Scarborough on 5 October 2001 as a replacement for Denny Ingram, making his debut in a 2–2 away draw against Boston United a day later. After impressing for the reserves against Yeovil Town he signed for the club on 1 February 2002, but on a non-contract basis due to financial constraints at the club. He made one appearance for Exeter, as a substitute in a 2–1 away victory against Macclesfield Town in the Third Division on 2 February 2002. He spent the 2002–03 pre-season with newly promoted Northern Premier League Premier Division club Harrogate Town, playing in pre-season friendlies against Manchester United and former club Newcastle. Elliott signed for Halifax Town of the Football Conference on 14 August 2002, making 12 appearances His first appearance came in a 4–1 home victory over Colwyn Bay on 8 March 2003 and he finished the season with eight appearances for Harrogate. He made his debut in a 3–2 away defeat against Hitchin Town on 16 August 2003 and after making 14 appearances and scoring one goal for Harrow was released in January 2004, later that month signing for Isthmian League Division One North club Waltham Forest.

2005–2007

He signed for Northern Premier League Premier Division club Gateshead on 9 April 2005, making his debut a week later as a substitute in a 1–0 defeat away to Farsley Celtic. During a 2–1 win over Woking, Elliott scored the first goal, a victory which ensured a lucrative FA Cup tie with Premier League club Sunderland. The 2005–06 season saw him finally complete an entire season with one team, in which he made 46 appearances and scored three goals. after assisting the club in their instant return to the Conference National as Conference North champions. He was charged in December 2006 of using racially aggravated abusive language towards Halifax Town midfielder Tyrone Thompson in a match on 4 November, which he was later cleared of in April 2007. Following the completion of 2006–07, he was not named on the club's retained list, in which he made 32 appearances and scored two goals. Elliott signed for the Conference Premier club, along with former Northwich teammate Paul Brayson, on 25 June. He was sent off during his York debut, a 2–1 home defeat by Cambridge United on 11 August 2007, which resulted in him receiving a three-match ban. He was also sent off on 12 April 2008 against Woking along with Tom Evans and Darren Craddock; this proved to be his final appearance for York.

Later career Elliott signed for Conference Premier club Grays Athletic on 7 May 2008. He was booked on his debut, a 3–1 away defeat by Weymouth on the opening day of 2008–09 on 9 August 2008, and picked up yellow cards in the two following matches. However, he scored a goal from 25 yards in the third match on 16 August 2008, which finished as a 2–1 home victory against Northwich Victoria. He picked up a hernia injury, which required him to undergo surgery in December 2008. He was transfer listed by the club in January 2009, with financial pressures and manager Wayne Burnett's plans cited as the reason. Following the departure of Burnett, Elliott took the role of assistant manager at Grays, alongside Jamie Stuart. He made his return from injury in a 2–1 home win over Altrincham on 7 March 2009. Elliott finished the season with 29 appearances and two goals. After Durham's financial problems led to all players being made available for transfer, he signed for Northern League Division One club Bedlington Terriers in September 2009, making a winning debut in the first qualifying round of the FA Vase. He was later appointed captain. He suffered a cruciate ligament injury before signing for Newcastle Benfield of the Northern League Division One in 2013. He returned to playing after a year out injured, and signed for Northern League Division One club Ashington on 3 August 2014.

Managerial career Elliott was announced as manager of Northern League Division One club Newcastle Benfield on 10 February 2019, before officially taking charge on 16 February. Previous manager Brayson remaining in charge until then, at which point he became Elliott's assistant. Elliott signed a new one-year contract on 26 April 2019 after leading Benfield to a 10th-place finish in the 2018–19 Northern League Division One. His contract was extended again on 31 October, to the end of the 2020–21 season.

Style of play Elliott started his career as a defender, but during his loan spells from Newcastle, he started to play as a midfielder.

Career statistics

Honours Northwich Victoria Conference North: 2005–06