Wade Patrick Elliott (born 14 December 1978) is an English former professional footballer who was most recently head coach of EFL League One club Cheltenham Town. He played mainly as a right midfielder but could also play as a central midfielder.
Elliott began playing football as a youth player for Southampton before joining non-league Bashley. He began his professional career at AFC Bournemouth after joining from Bashley for £15,000. After five years he joined Burnley where he won two player of the year awards and scored the only goal in the 2009 play-off final elevating his team to the Premier League. He moved on to Birmingham City in 2011, playing regularly for two seasons. He spent time on loan at Bristol City in 2014, and joined them on a permanent contract after his release from Birmingham at the end of the 2013–14 season.
Having achieved promotion from League One to the Championship with Bristol City in the 2014–15 season, Elliott retired from playing in June 2015 in order to take up a coaching role at the club. After leaving Bristol City in June 2016 Elliott played in several pre-season Friendlies for National League side Forest Green Rovers, reportedly in advance of taking a joint role of player and youth team coach.
Playing career Youth and non-League Elliott was born in Southampton, and began playing football as a youth player at Southampton, during which time he also represented England schoolboys. Elliott was released from the Southampton youth setup when he was 16 and instead went on to do his A-levels. Elliot carried on playing football at non-League Bashley while studying at university – he did two years of a degree course in communications and sociology at Goldsmiths' College and completed the degree via the Open University – and was spotted by former AFC Bournemouth player Jimmy Case who organised a trial match for him at the League One club. He trained with Bournemouth from Christmas 1998, and signed for a fee of £5,000 in February 2000. The club's director of football, Mel Machin, later called Elliott's price as "some of the best money he have ever spent".
AFC Bournemouth Elliott made his debut for AFC Bournemouth, coming on as a 76th-minute substitute, in a 2–0 loss against Reading on 4 March 2000. He scored three goals in the twelve games he played in his first season with the club. In the following 2000–01 season, Elliot began to have more and more of an impact for AFC Bournemouth. Elliot scored two important goals in the FA Cup matches against Swansea City and Nuneaton Borough to help the club reach all the way to the third round. However, he received a straight red card for elbowing John Dreyer, in a 2–0 win against Cambridge United on 23 January 2001; and served a three match suspension as a result. Elliott returned to the first team from suspension, in a 2–1 loss against Oldham Athletic on 24 February 2001. He then scored four times throughout March, including a brace against Bristol City on 10 March 2001. Due to his performance, Elliott became AFC Bournemouth's fan favourite among supporters, who likened him to John Bailey. His performance also led the club began open talks with him over a new contract. He later scored four more goals in the last three matches of the season, including a brace against Reading, which AFC Bournemouth missed out of the play–offs. Together with Claus Bech Jørgensen, Richard Hughes and Carl Fletcher, the quartet scored thirty–four goals combined. In his first full season at Bournemouth, Elliott made forty–one appearances and scoring eleven times in all competitions. For his performance, he won multiple awards, including winning the club's Player of the Year award. On 5 May 2001, Elliot signed a new contract with AFC Bournemouth, keeping him until 2004.
In the 2001–02 season, Elliott continued to regain his first team place in the midfield position. On 1 September 2001, he scored a brace, in a 2–2 draw against Cambridge United. Elliot scored two goals in two matches between 5 October 2001 and 9 October 2001, coming against Oldham Athletic and Wigan Athletic. He scored another brace, in a 4–2 win against Notts County on 27 October 2001. By mid–December, Elliot started in every matches for AFC Bournemouth until he was demoted to the substitute bench. As the 2001–02 season progressed, he soon won his place back in the first team, due to the club's struggles and eventually relegation to the Third Division. Despite this, he scored two goals later in the season, coming against Cambridge United and Chesterfield. Having played in every league matches throughout the 2001–02 season, Elliott made fifty appearances and scoring eight times in all competitions.
At the start of the 2002–03 season, Elliott scored his first goal of the season, in a 3–1 win against Exeter City on 7 September 2002. A week later against Bury, however, he received a straight red card at half time for giving away a penalty, resulting in AFC Bournemouth losing 2–1. After serving a one match suspension, Elliot made his return to the starting line–up against Lincoln City and helped the club win 2–1. In a follow–up match against Hartlepool United, he scored his second goal of the season, in a 2–1 win. Following his return from suspension, Elliott found himself, rotating between the starting line–up and substitute bench. During which, he was AFC Bournemouth's representative for the Professional Footballers' Association. However, Elliott was relieved of his duty as the club's penalty kicker. It came after when he missed penalties since being given a duty earlier in the 2001–02 season and his penalty record has been mixed at the club. Afterwards, Elliott scored two times, both in cup competitions by the end of the year. He then scored two more league goals later in the 2002–03 season. Along the way, Elliott was affected by injuries but did not affect his season. Despite this, he helped AFC Bournemouth win the play–offs and sealed the promotion back to the Second Division after beating Lincoln City 5–2. At the end of the 2002–03 season, Elliott made fifty–eight appearances and scoring six times in all competitions.
At the start of the 2003–04 season, Elliott continued to rotate between the starting line–up and substitute bench. He scored his first goal of the season at a last minute goal, in a 1–0 win against Sheffield Wednesday on 16 September 2003. Elliott then made his 150th appearance for AFC Bournemouth, in a 1–0 win against Notts County on 11 October 2003. He added three more goals by the end of the year, including scoring the only goal of the game against Bristol Rovers and Brentford. However, by 2004, Elliott's form dropped and found his playing time from the substitute bench. At the end of the 2003–04 season, he made forty–four appearances and scoring four times in all competitions. Elliott was out of contract at the end of the 2003–04 season and eventually signed a one-year contract extension.
At the start of the 2004–05 season, Elliott started the season well when he scored his first goal of the season, in a 2–2 draw against Walsall on 10 August 2004. However, Elliott suffered a toe injury and was substituted in the 26th minute, as AFC Bournemouth won 1–0 against Wrexham on 28 August 2004. Initially out for four to six weeks, he returned to the starting line–up, in a 1–0 win against Sheffield Wednesday on 18 September 2004. Following his return, Elliott regained his first team place under the management of Sean O'Driscoll. Along the way, he also began to assists goals for the club and registered thirteen assists across the league season. Elliott scored his second goal of the season, in a 3–1 loss against Barnsley on 30 October 2004. He then made his 200th appearances for AFC Bournemouth, in a 1–1 draw against Sheffield Wednesday on 15 January 2005. Elliott scored three more goals later in the 2004–05 season, winning all three matches. In his last season at the club, he played fifty–two games and scored five goals in all competitions.
Burnley
With his and teammate Garreth O'Connor's contracts due to expire, the pair signed three-year contracts with Burnley, a team which he had impressed in an FA Cup-tie that season. Upon joining the club, Elliott, along with O'Connor, both said the move was too good to turn down and wanted to play in the higher level.
He made his Burnley debut, starting the match, in a 2–1 loss against Crewe Alexandra in the opening game of the season. After the match, his performance was praised by the Lancashire Telegraph, saying: "The number of debutants at Crewe, the pick of them being Wade Elliott - good pace, tricky feet and the ability to beat a man." However, during a 4–0 win against Coventry City on 13 August 2005, he suffered an ankle injury and was substituted in the 12th minute. After being out for four weeks, Elliott made return to the starting line–up against Cardiff City on 10 September 2005 and scored his first goals, in a 3–3 draw. After the match, manager Steve Cotterill praised his performance. Following his return from injury, he found himself, rotating between the starting line–up and substitute bench. This was due to Cotterill's concern of letting Elliott play 90 minutes following his injury and didn't play the whole game for two months. At times when Elliott was fit, he began to play in the right–back position. Elliott's first season at Burnley got off to a slow start; he made just 23 starts for the club and scored 3 goals. Reflecting on his slow start at Burnley, Elliott said: "I had a dodgy start with my ankle and I've been grateful the games have come thick and fast in the past few weeks because being out meant I lost a bit of sharpness. I was under no illusions when I came to Burnley that every game would be a new challenge and I feel I've had to fight for every little bit of play."
At the start of the 2006–07 season, Elliott continued to find himself, rotating between the starting line–up and substitute bench. But he soon won his first team place, playing in the midfield position and at times in the right–back position. performance alongside Steve Jones were praised by manager Cotterill for their "all-round good team play". Elliott then scored his first goal of the season, in a 1–1 draw against Sheffield Wednesday on 10 February 2007. After missing one match due to suspension, he scored on his return and set up the opening goal of the game, in a 4–0 win against Plymouth Argyle on 3 April 2007. Elliott later scored two more goals later in the 2006–07 season, coming against Norwich City and Sunderland. He finished his second season at Burnley, making forty–four appearances and scoring four times in all competitions. For his performance, Elliott won several awards at the club's award ceremony, including Burnley's Player of the Year. Reflecting on his performance, columnist Andy Lochhead said about Elliott's performance: "He is a decent player and one of the highlights of this season was his spectacular goal at Sunderland. Next season I'd like to see him take a few more people on and get beyond them to supply more crosses into the strikers and give them ammunition."