Billy Elliott (footballer)
Encyclopedia
William Henry "Billy" Elliott (20 March 1925 – 21 January 2008), born in Bradford
, was an English
professional footballer
and football manager. He played five times for the England
national side.
, joining as an amateur in 1939 and turning professional in March 1942. He scored 21 times in 176 league games for Bradford before a £23,000 move to Burnley
in August 1951. He made his debut for England on 18 May 1952 in a 1-1 draw with Italy
in Florence
, also playing in the 3-2 win against Austria
in Vienna
a week later. The following season he played the games against Northern Ireland
, Wales
and Belgium.
In June 1953, after fourteen goals in 74 league games for Burnley, Elliott moved to Sunderland
in June 1953, costing £26,000. He played 212 games and scored 26 goals, in a six year spell at the club, leaving in July 1959 to join Wisbech Town
.
national side between October 1961 and 1963 when he returned to the UK and scouted for Sheffield Wednesday
. In 1964 he moved to Germany
to coach the US Forces teams, a post he held until July 1966 when he was appointed manager of Belgian
side Daring FC
. On leaving Daring in January 1968 he returned to Sunderland, as coach. Elliott was caretaker manager
of Sunderland for four games in 1972 after the sacking of Alan Brown
, remaining on the coaching staff under new manager Bob Stokoe
until June 1973, leaving after Sunderland had won the FA Cup
.
He coached Norwegian
side Brann between 1974 and 1978 and in December 1978 returned to Sunderland as manager. He remained in charge until the end of the season, almost guiding Sunderland to promotion. The board decided that they wanted a younger man in charge, however, and sacked Elliott in favour of coach Ken Knighton
.
In June 1979 he took over as manager of Darlington
, where he remained until June 1983.
He died on 21 January 2008, aged 82.
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and football manager. He played five times for the England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
national side.
Playing career
Billy Elliott, a left winger, began his career with Bradford Park AvenueBradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
, joining as an amateur in 1939 and turning professional in March 1942. He scored 21 times in 176 league games for Bradford before a £23,000 move to Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
in August 1951. He made his debut for England on 18 May 1952 in a 1-1 draw with Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, also playing in the 3-2 win against Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
a week later. The following season he played the games against Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
, Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
and Belgium.
In June 1953, after fourteen goals in 74 league games for Burnley, Elliott moved to Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
in June 1953, costing £26,000. He played 212 games and scored 26 goals, in a six year spell at the club, leaving in July 1959 to join Wisbech Town
Wisbech Town F.C.
Wisbech Town F.C. is an English football club currently based in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. The club are currently members of the Eastern Counties League Premier Division and play at the Fenland Stadium.-History:...
.
Coaching and managerial career
Elliott was manager of the LibyaLibya national football team
The Libya national football team is the national association football team of Libya and is controlled by the Libyan Football Federation. The team has never qualified for the senior FIFA World Cup. They have qualified for three Africa Cup of Nations, one in 1982 where they finished runners-up and...
national side between October 1961 and 1963 when he returned to the UK and scouted for Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
. In 1964 he moved to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to coach the US Forces teams, a post he held until July 1966 when he was appointed manager of Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
side Daring FC
R. Daring Club Molenbeek
Royal Daring Club Molenbeek was a football team from the city of Brussels, Belgium until 1973. It was created in 1895 as Daring Club de Bruxelles and was the second club to register to the Belgian Football Association , but it was admitted to the league only in 1903.-History:Until 1899, the team...
. On leaving Daring in January 1968 he returned to Sunderland, as coach. Elliott was caretaker manager
Caretaker manager
In association football, a caretaker manager is someone who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is ill or unable to attend to his...
of Sunderland for four games in 1972 after the sacking of Alan Brown
Alan Brown (footballer)
Alan Winston Brown was a professional footballer and manager, who played for Huddersfield Town, Burnley and Notts County. After a short spell at Sheffield Wednesday as coach he rejoined Burnley as manager before further managerial spells at Sunderland, back at Sheffield Wednesday and then...
, remaining on the coaching staff under new manager Bob Stokoe
Bob Stokoe
Robert "Bob" Stokoe was an English footballer and manager who was able, almost uniquely, to transcend the traditional north-east rivalry between the region's footballing giants, Newcastle United and Sunderland....
until June 1973, leaving after Sunderland had won the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
.
He coached Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
side Brann between 1974 and 1978 and in December 1978 returned to Sunderland as manager. He remained in charge until the end of the season, almost guiding Sunderland to promotion. The board decided that they wanted a younger man in charge, however, and sacked Elliott in favour of coach Ken Knighton
Ken Knighton
Ken Knighton is a former English football manager, most notably at Sunderland A.F.C.Already at the club as a coach, he succeeded caretaker Billy Elliott as manager in the summer of 1979...
.
In June 1979 he took over as manager of Darlington
Darlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
, where he remained until June 1983.
He died on 21 January 2008, aged 82.
As a manager
Brann- Norwegian Premier LeagueNorwegian Premier LeagueTippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
runner-up: 1974–75 - Norwegian Football CupNorwegian football cupThe Norwegian Football Cup is the main knockout cup competition in Norwegian football. It is run by the Football Association of Norway and has been contested since 1902, making it the oldest football tournament in the country. The tournament is commonly known as Cupen or NM, an acronym formed...
winner: 1976 - Norwegian Football CupNorwegian football cupThe Norwegian Football Cup is the main knockout cup competition in Norwegian football. It is run by the Football Association of Norway and has been contested since 1902, making it the oldest football tournament in the country. The tournament is commonly known as Cupen or NM, an acronym formed...
runner-up: 1978
Managerial statistics
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Libya Libya national football team The Libya national football team is the national association football team of Libya and is controlled by the Libyan Football Federation. The team has never qualified for the senior FIFA World Cup. They have qualified for three Africa Cup of Nations, one in 1982 where they finished runners-up and... |
 |
October 1961 | 1963 | |||||
| Daring FC R. Daring Club Molenbeek Royal Daring Club Molenbeek was a football team from the city of Brussels, Belgium until 1973. It was created in 1895 as Daring Club de Bruxelles and was the second club to register to the Belgian Football Association , but it was admitted to the league only in 1903.-History:Until 1899, the team... |
 |
July 1966 | January 1968 | |||||
| Sunderland Sunderland A.F.C. Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League... |
 |
1972 | 1972 | |||||
| Brann |  |
1974 | December 1978 | |||||
| Sunderland Sunderland A.F.C. Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League... |
|
December 1978 | May 1979 | 23 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 56.5 |
| Darlington Darlington F.C. Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003... |
|
June 1979 | June 1983 | 184 | 56 | 74 | 54 | 30.4 |