Elliott to become Cheltenham boss

Former Burnley and Bristol City man will step up from role as first-team coach

WADE Elliott is all set to be confirmed as Cheltenham Town’s new head coach. The 43-year-old will step up from his role as first-team coach at the Sky Bet League One club, having worked as part of Michael Duff’s backroom team for the past two seasons.

Like Duff, Elliott worked his way from non-League to the Premier League as a player, representing Bashley, Bournemouth, Burnley, Birmingham and Bristol City after starting out in Southampton’s youth set-up. The midfielder helped Bournemouth win promotion to League One in 2002/03, and then scored the stunning goal in the 2009 Championship play-off final against Sheffield United at Wembley taking Burnley into the Premier League.

He was also a major part of Steve Cotterill’s 2014/15 League One and EFL Trophy-winning Bristol City side. Elliott became Under-21s coach at Ashton Gate and was placed in interim charge of the first team along with John Pemberton before Lee Johnson’s appointment in 2016.

After a spell at Forest Green, Elliott was appointed Under-23s coach at

Stoke in April 2017. Bristol-based Elliott left the Potters for family reasons and joined Cheltenham for the start of the 2020/21 campaign.

Elliott, who spent six seasons playing with Duff at Burnley, initially worked for Cheltenham without pay, sitting high in the stands and reporting back to the touchline with his observations. The arrangement evolved into a part-time role before becoming a full-time position after Cheltenham’s League Two title win.

He was then heavily-involved in the club’s highest-ever finish last