Calum Elliot

Calum Elliot (born 30 March 1987) is a Scottish former professional footballer, who is currently the manager of Scottish League Two club Bonnyrigg Rose.

Calum Elliot
Elliot playing for the Scotland U20 team in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Personal information
Date of birth (1987-03-30) 30 March 1987 (age 37)
Place of birthEdinburgh, Scotland
Position(s)Forward
Team information
Current team
Bonnyrigg Rose (Manager)
Youth career
Hutchison Vale BC
2004–2005Heart of Midlothian
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2004–2012Heart of Midlothian110(13)
2006Motherwell (loan)15(2)
2008–2009Livingston (loan)13(11)
2011Dundee (loan)6(0)
2012–2013Žalgiris Vilnius33(16)
2013Alloa Athletic10(2)
2013–2015Raith Rovers47(7)
2017–2018Mousehole
Total234(51)
International career
2007Scotland U207(0)
2007–2008Scotland U218(0)
Managerial career
2015–2016Edinburgh United
2017–2018Mousehole
2018–2020Tynecastle
2020–2022Tranent Juniors
2023Penicuik Athletic
2023–2024Cowdenbeath
2024-Bonnyrigg Rose
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:50, 9 August 2015 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 June 2013

He played as a forward for Heart of Midlothian, Motherwell, Livingston, Dundee, Žalgiris Vilnius, Alloa and Raith Rovers. He also represented Scotland at youth international levels up to and including the under-21 team. He was previous manager of Tranent Juniors until he left his position in August 2022 and went onto Cowdenbeath.

Club career

Hearts

Elliot grew up in south-western Edinburgh, attending Bonaly Primary School then Firrhill High School. He signed for Hearts in 2004, having previously played with their youth initiative and Salvesen Boys Club. He made his first team debut as a substitute against Inverness Caledonian Thistle early in the 2004–05 season.[1] He scored his first Hearts goals in the 5–0 win over Falkirk in December 2005.[2] Less than a week later he signed a new three-and-a-half-year deal with the Jambos.[3] His form during the 2005–06 season ensured he was considered a possible candidate for the 2006 Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year, although the title was won by Kilmarnock's Steven Naismith. Elliot was surprised to find himself available for loan at the beginning of the 2006–07 season, although his initial anger and disappointment were replaced by an acceptance of the benefit of regular first team action. Despite interest from Dunfermline Athletic and Falkirk, Elliot eventually joined Motherwell on loan.[4] In May 2008, Elliot was linked with a move to Scottish First Division side Dunfermline Athletic.[5] Inverness Caley Thistle were also reported to be looking at the unsettled striker in June 2008.[6] Elliot travelled south for talks with League 1 side MK Dons, but eventually signed for Livingston on a loan deal,[7] where he scored 11 goals in thirteen appearances.[8] Elliot started in his first match for Hearts since returning on loan from Livingston on 4 April 2009 against Kilmarnock, scoring twice in a 3–1 win. Thanks to this display, Elliot won the SPL Young Player of the Month for April 2009.[9]

Due to injury[10] appearances were limited and he failed to score any goals during the 2009–10 season. The following season Elliot scored three goals in the first two games of the 2010–11 season with his fourth goal coming against Inverness Caley Thistle in a 3–1 victory for Hearts.[11] Due to an ongoing knee injury his appearances were limited and had to undergo surgery which ruled him out of the end of the season.[12] Having built his fitness back up[13] on 4 November 2011, he signed for Scottish First Division side Dundee on a month's loan.[14] Making his debut the following day against Partick Thistle[15] Only 30 seconds into the match he suffered a recurrence of his knee injury[16] and despite trying to play on had to be stretchered off after four minutes.[17] The injury was not as bad as first feared[18] and he missed only one game before returning as a substitute in Dundee's 2–1 win over Stirling.[19] His loan was later extended until 31 December.[20] With Hearts in financial difficulty and looking to cut their squad, on 12 December 2011 it was announced the Elliot had come to an agreement with Hearts to end his contract with the club early. His contract expired on 1 January 2012.[21]

Žalgiris Vilnius and Alloa Athletic

Having turned down an offer to join Houston Dynamo on a weeks trial,[22] Elliot agreed a two-year deal with Lithuanian A Lyga club Žalgiris Vilnius.[23] He signed for them on 20 January 2012.[24] Elliot scored his first goal for Žalgiris Vilnius on his first A Lyga game in a 2–1 away win over FK Banga Gargždai. He then scored 4 goals in his second league match against FK Atlantas in a 7–0 demolition at home. On 20 May 2012, he won the Lithuanian Football Federation Cup with Žalgiris Vilnius defeating the winner of the tournament in the previous two seasons Ekranas 3–1 after a penalty shootout.[25]

On 25 February 2013, it was announced by Scottish Second Division club Alloa Athletic that Elliot had signed a deal which would see him play the club until the end of the season. He was due to be included in Paul Hartley's squad for the midweek trip to Arbroath the same week, subject to international clearance from the Lithuanian FA.[26]

Raith Rovers

In April 2013, Eliott signed a pre-contract[27] agreement to rejoin Livingston for the 2013–14 season, having previously spent time on loan with the club earlier in his career.[28] On 4 June, fellow Scottish First Division side Raith Rovers announced he had signed for them on a one-year deal,[29] prompting the West Lothian side to seek urgent clarification.[30] Both clubs felt they were entitled to register the player[31][32] however, on 6 June, Livingston decided not to pursue the situation further[33] citing their disappointment in the player's conduct.[34] This left Raith Rovers free to register the player. After two years with Raith, Elliot was forced to retire in 2015 due to knee injuries.[35]

International career

Elliot was rewarded with a place in the Scotland squad for the 2006 UEFA U-19 Championships. He scored twice during the tournament, including the winner in the 1–0 semi-final victory over the Czech Republic,[36] as Scotland creditably finished runners-up. In the summer of 2007, Elliot was selected in the squad Scotland squad for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup, which was held in Canada.[37]

Management

Elliot was appointed manager of Junior side Edinburgh United in August 2015.[38] He resigned 14 months later, with the club lying in sixth place in the Junior South Division and 16 points off promotion.[39]

Elliot joined Mousehole in November 2017. The club play in the South West Peninsula League which is competed for by teams in Devon and Cornwall. Elliot's initial roles were as player, in combination with being full-time academy coach and also assisting first-team manager Kevin Richards.[40] Elliot then took on the role of manager on a temporary basis following Richards' departure from the club in April 2018,[41] with the position now since made permanent.[42]

On 26 November 2018, Elliot become the new manager of Tynecastle.[43]

Elliot was announced as the new manager of Tranent Juniors with his assistant Conan McDiarmid on 26 September 2020 until August 2022.[44]

Elliot was appointed as the new manager of Penicuik Athletic on 6 March 2023.[45] He left the role on 20 April 2023.[46]

He left the Blue Brazil to become manager of Bonnyrigg Rose on 25 March 2024.[47]

Managerial statistics

As of match played 4 May 2024
Managerial record by team and tenure
TeamFromToRecordRef
PWDLWin %
Bonnyrigg Rose25 March 2024present6231033.3
Cowdenbeath21 April 202325 March 202443161215037.2
Penicuik Athletic6 March 202320 April 20237412057.1
Tranent Juniors26 September 202024 August 20225034142068.0
Tyncastle FC26 November 201826 September 2020232120091.3
  • Managerial statistics for tenure at Edinburgh United and Mousehole are not available

Personal life

While Elliot was playing for Hearts, Hibernian defender Darren McCormack was arrested for an alleged assault on Elliot on 22 March 2009 near an Edinburgh nightclub.[48]

Career statistics

As of 9 August 2015[49][50]
Club statistics
ClubSeasonLeagueCupLeague CupOtherTotal
AppGoalsAppGoalsAppGoalsAppGoalsAppGoals
Heart of Midlothian2004–054000000040
2005–06285412000346
2006–07100100010120
2007–08242003200274
2008–09122100000132
2009–10130000000130
2010–11194101000214
2011–120000000000
Total1101371621012416
Motherwell (loan)2006–07152002000172
Livingston (loan)2008–0913110010001411
Dundee (loan)2011–126010000070
Žalgiris Vilnius2012[51]33164[25][52]100003717
Alloa2012–13102000042144
Raith Rovers2013–143062022523910
2014–15171101200193
Total4773034525813
Total2345115212610427163

Honours

As a player

Žalgiris Vilnius
Raith Rovers

Individual

As a manager

Tynecastle
Tranent Juniors

References