Elliott joins coaching staff

WADE Elliott has joined Cheltenham Town in a part-time coaching role.

A former team mate of Michael Duff at Burnley, the 41-year-old will work with both the first team and development group.

Duff said: “Wade is someone I have known for a long, long time and I also roomed with him for a long time at Burnley.

“His family situation has changed so he has moved back down to the Bristol area.

“He’ll come in and help with the development group on a part-time basis and also with the first team.”

Like Duff, Elliott started out in nonleague football with Bashley before going on to play in the Premier League (for Burnley) and Europa League (for Birmingham City) and Duff believes his knowledge will be invaluable.

“He is a Pro Licence coach who has worked at a Category 1 Academy for the last three or four years and he was caretaker manager at Bristol City,” Duff said.

“It’s a no-brainer in terms of the knowledge he can bring, both from his playing days and coaching experience.

“He’ll only make us stronger as a staff which will hopefully make us better as a team and as a club.”

Elliott has recently been Under-23 coach at Championship club Stoke City after a brief spell at Forest Green Rovers and also enjoyed spells at AFC Bournemouth and Bristol City during his playing days.

Elliott took joint caretaker charge of Bristol City along with John Pemberton following the departure of Steve Cotterill in January 2016.

He had been a major player in City’s League One and EFL Trophy double under Cotterill in 2014/15.