Karl Elsey
Encyclopedia
Karl William Elsey is a Welsh
former professional footballer. His clubs included Swansea City
, Queens Park Rangers
, Newport County
, Cardiff City
, Gillingham
, Reading
and Maidstone United
. In total he made over 450 Football League appearances.
Elsey began joined Pembroke Borough from local amateur football and had a brief spell with Swansea City
in the 1978-79 season before returning to Pembroke Borough. He signed for Queens Park Rangers
in January 1979, but failed to establish himself.
Elsey moved to Newport County
in July 1980, during the most successful period in the clubs long history. Elsey was part of the team that won promotion and the Welsh Cup
and in the subsequent season reached the quarter-final of the 1981 European Cup Winners Cup.
He moved to Cardiff City
in September 1983 in a move that saw Elsey and Nigel Vaughan
join Cardiff from Newport in exchange for Tarki Micallef
, John Lewis
and Linden Jones
. He played over 60 games for Cardiff before joining Gillingham
on a free transfer in May 1985. He moved to Reading
in August 1988 and, although virtually ever-present in the Reading side the following season, left to join Maidstone United
in July 1989. He rejoined Gillingham in August 1991, but dropped out of league football in March 1992 when he joined Sittingbourne
.
He moved to Braintree Town
in December 1993, but in February 1994 moved to Ashford Town (Kent)
. The following month he joined Hastings Town.
In September 1994 he joined Faversham Town
, but the following month left to join Margate
. In April 1995 he became Margate’s caretaker manager and was appointed as player-manager in early May. He was sacked in March 1996 and joined Ramsgate
as a player. In April 1996 he joined Chatham Town
and became their player-manager in October 1996. He left Chatham in March 1997 and joined Lordswood
as a player. He remained with Lordswood until early in the following season when he dropped out of senior football.
He signed for Maidstone United in the 1998 close season and played twice for the reformed side in the Kent County League
before retiring in September 1998.
His father, John was also a professional footballer and played for Swansea.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
former professional footballer. His clubs included Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
, Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
, Newport County
Newport County A.F.C.
Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
, Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
, Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
, Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
and Maidstone United
Maidstone United F.C.
Maidstone United Football Club is an English football team from Maidstone, Kent.The current club is a continuation of the old Maidstone United, which was a member of the Football League between 1989 and 1992. The club was forced out of the league by financial ruin but the youth squad formed the...
. In total he made over 450 Football League appearances.
Elsey began joined Pembroke Borough from local amateur football and had a brief spell with Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
in the 1978-79 season before returning to Pembroke Borough. He signed for Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
in January 1979, but failed to establish himself.
Elsey moved to Newport County
Newport County A.F.C.
Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
in July 1980, during the most successful period in the clubs long history. Elsey was part of the team that won promotion and the Welsh Cup
Welsh Cup
The Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
and in the subsequent season reached the quarter-final of the 1981 European Cup Winners Cup.
He moved to Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
in September 1983 in a move that saw Elsey and Nigel Vaughan
Nigel Vaughan
Nigel Mark Vaughan is a Welsh former professional footballer and Wales international. He gained ten international caps during his career.-Club career:...
join Cardiff from Newport in exchange for Tarki Micallef
Tarki Micallef
Constantinous "Tarki" Micallef is a Welsh former professional footballer.-Career:The son of a Greek restaurateur, Micallef was born in the Grangetown area of Cardiff and was a Welsh schoolboy international as a youngster before joining Cardiff City as a trainee, working his way up to the first...
, John Lewis
John Lewis (footballer born 1955)
John Lewis is a former Welsh football player.-Career:Lewis was spotted by Cardiff City while playing for Pontllanfraith in a Welsh league match and was quickly offered a contract by then manager Jimmy Andrews. He made his Cardiff debut against Blackburn Rovers in September 1978...
and Linden Jones
Linden Jones
For the Welsh cricketer see Lyndon Jones.Linden Jones is a former Welsh professional footballer.-Club career:Jones was born in New Tredegar, Monmouthshire. He began his career at Cardiff City joining them as an apprentice at the age of sixteen. He made his début on 24 February 1979 in a 1-0...
. He played over 60 games for Cardiff before joining Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
on a free transfer in May 1985. He moved to Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
in August 1988 and, although virtually ever-present in the Reading side the following season, left to join Maidstone United
Maidstone United F.C.
Maidstone United Football Club is an English football team from Maidstone, Kent.The current club is a continuation of the old Maidstone United, which was a member of the Football League between 1989 and 1992. The club was forced out of the league by financial ruin but the youth squad formed the...
in July 1989. He rejoined Gillingham in August 1991, but dropped out of league football in March 1992 when he joined Sittingbourne
Sittingbourne F.C.
Sittingbourne F.C. are a football club based in Sittingbourne, Kent, England. They were established in 1886 and were founder members of the Kent League. They have reached the 2nd round of the FA Cup at least twice in their history...
.
He moved to Braintree Town
Braintree Town F.C.
Braintree Town F.C. is an English football club based in Braintree, Essex. The club are currently members of the Conference National and play their home matches at Cressing Road.-History:...
in December 1993, but in February 1994 moved to Ashford Town (Kent)
Ashford Town F.C. (Kent)
Ashford United F.C. are an English football club based in Ashford, Kent. The 'new' United was formed in 2011 . Between 1930 and 2010 the town was represented by Ashford Town FC, before it ultimately went into administration...
. The following month he joined Hastings Town.
In September 1994 he joined Faversham Town
Faversham Town F.C.
Faversham Town F.C. are a football club based in Faversham, England. They joined the Kent League in 1949 and won the title in 1970, 1971 and 1990...
, but the following month left to join Margate
Margate F.C.
Margate Football Club is an English football team based in the seaside resort of Margate, Kent, currently playing in the Isthmian League Premier Division. The club was known for a number of years during the 1980s as Thanet United....
. In April 1995 he became Margate’s caretaker manager and was appointed as player-manager in early May. He was sacked in March 1996 and joined Ramsgate
Ramsgate F.C.
Ramsgate Football Club are a football team based in Ramsgate, Kent. Having played for many years in the Kent League, they have been promoted for two consecutive seasons and spent the 2006-07 to 2008-09 seasons in the Isthmian League Premier Division....
as a player. In April 1996 he joined Chatham Town
Chatham Town F.C.
Chatham Town are an English Association Football club based in Chatham, Kent. They currently play in Division One North of the Isthmian League and are nicknamed "The Chats"....
and became their player-manager in October 1996. He left Chatham in March 1997 and joined Lordswood
Lordswood F.C.
Lordswood F.C. is a football club based in Lordswood, which is a suburb of Chatham, England. They joined the Kent League in 1996 and are members of the Kent League Premier Division for the 2011-12 season.-History:...
as a player. He remained with Lordswood until early in the following season when he dropped out of senior football.
He signed for Maidstone United in the 1998 close season and played twice for the reformed side in the Kent County League
Kent County League
The Kent County League, currently known as the haart of Kent County League for sponsorship reasons, is a football competition based in Kent, England. The league has four senior divisions - a Premier Division, Division One Division Two East and West, plus reserve divisions...
before retiring in September 1998.
His father, John was also a professional footballer and played for Swansea.