Date / Year of birth: 27th September 1972

Position: Left-back / Midfielder

Season of first appearance: 1995/96

Season of last appearance: 2000/01

Also played for: Gillingham (69+1,1), Welling United, Chelmsford City and Gravesend & Northfleet

5' 8" defender born in Plumstead who started his career with Gillingham. Eliot progressed through the Gills' youth ranks and on 24.8.91 he made his first team debut in a game at York. On 11.8.92 he played for Gillingham's reserves in a Kent Midweek League game against Margate at Hartsdown Park and during the 1992/93 season Eliot was loaned to Welling.

In October 1994 he joined Chelmsford on a free transfer having made over 50 first team appearances for the Gills and Eliot made 31 appearances for the Essex club without scoring before rejoining Gillingham in March 1995. No fee was involved but it was agreed that Chelmsford would receive 40% of the proceeds from any future transfer.

On 22.7.95 Eliot played as the Gills drew 0-0 with Margate in a friendly at Hartsdown and in August 1995 he joined Margate on loan.

He made his debut at left-back in a 1-0 home defeat against Waterlooville on 26.8.95 and the Thanet Times said Eliot "gave a good account of himself". He made four more appearances in the number three shirt before going back to Gillingham after featuring in a 2-0 win at Erith & Belvedere on 19.9.95.

In November 1995 Eliot rejoined Margate on a permanent basis having made a total of 70 first team appearances for Gillingham but he was carried off with ruptured ankle ligaments only 30 minutes into his first game back - a 2-1 win over Yate at Hartsdown on 11.11.95. The injury kept him out for seven games but Eliot returned to the side for a 2-1 defeat at Sittingbourne on 26.12.95 and was a fixture at left-back from then on. After a 6-0 home win over Poole on 6.1.96 the Thanet Times said he looked "a very good prospect" and by the end of the season Eliot had made 27 appearances without scoring for Margate.

He was sent off in injury time on the opening day of the 1996/97 campaign as Margate won 4-1 against Yate at Hartsdown Park on 17.8.96. It was Chris Kinnear's first game in charge. Eliot had to serve a three match suspension as a result of his dismissal but otherwise he was a regular at left-back during the first two months of the season. On 26.10.96 he was pushed into midfield for a game at Fareham following the arrival of loanee left-back Paul Pilkington and the Thanet Times said Eliot "impressed in his new role" as Margate won 3-0. Three days later he confirmed his effectiveness in his new position by scoring his first goal for the club in a 2-0 home win over Erith & Belvedere. It was a superb 25-yard chip. The Thanet Times said Eliot was "outstanding in midfield" in a 3-2 win over Cirencester at Hartsdown Park on 2.11.96 and he spent the remainder of the campaign in the engine room of Margate's side. Eliot scored twice more before the end of the season and made a total of 43 appearances (two as sub).

After wearing the number three shirt in Margate's opening game of the 1997/98 campaign - a 3-1 win over Ramsgate for the Link Music Cup on 29.7.97 - Eliot didn't start again until 30.8.97 when he played in midfield during a 2-1 win at Newport IOW. He started each of Margate's next three matches too before falling out of favour again in mid-September. Eliot then had a run of five games without making the starting line-up. New signing Paul Lamb had become Margate's regular left-back and with another new signing Mark Munday slotting into midfield it was difficult for Eliot to hold down a place in the side.

On 15.10.97 he finally got a chance to play at left-back again as Margate lost 1-0 at Dartford and from then on Eliot was virtually ever-present there with Lamb being moved into midfield. The Thanet Times said Eliot "took the eye...with some superb prompting" during a 2-1 defeat at Chelmsford on 1.11.97 and on 16.11.97 he played as Margate lost 2-1 to Fulham in an FA Cup 1st Round tie at Hartsdown Park that was shown live on Sky Sports. The Thanet Times said he was "absolutely superb" at left-back.

On 20.12.97 Eliot scored his first goal of the season in a 4-1 win at Witney and on 10.1.98 his brilliant effort earned Margate a famous 1-0 win at holders Woking in the FA Trophy. After cutting in from the left flank to just outside the corner of the penalty area Eliot curled a right-footed shot perfectly into the far top corner of the Woking net. The Thanet Times said it was an "epic strike" whilst the Gazette described it as a "superb shot" and Eliot's effort led to him being chosen as sponsor Umbro's 'Personality of the FA Trophy 1st Round'.

On 7.4.98 he was in the side that beat Redditch 2-0 in the 1st Leg of the Southern League Cup Final at Hartsdown Park and on 11.4.98 Eliot found the net with another stunning strike - a 30-yard volley in a 2-1 win at Fisher. On 21.4.98 he played in the 2nd Leg of the Southern League Cup Final at Redditch which the home side won 1-0 and the result meant that Margate claimed the trophy with a 2-1 aggregate victory.

Eliot featured as Margate beat Gravesend & Northfleet 1-0 at Stonebridge Road on 4.5.98 to win the Kent Senior Cup and he finished the season having scored three times in a total of 62 appearances (seven as sub).

In May 1998 Eliot signed a long-term contract and during the summer he had a hernia operation which limited his appearances at the start of the 1998/99 campaign. He came on as a substitute in a 4-1 home win over Andover on 22.8.98 but didn't feature in any of Margate's next five games after that. On 12.9.98 Eliot made his first start of the season when he played at left-back in a 3-1 defeat at Corby and he settled in the number three shirt after that. The Isle of Thanet Gazette said his free-kicks "were a delight" in a 2-1 win over Fisher at Hartsdown Park on 15.9.98 and on 7.11.98 Eliot scored his first goal of the season in a 3-0 home win over Yate. The Thanet Times described it as "a superb strike" from the edge of the penalty area and said the goal was Eliot's "reward for a great game".

On 13.2.09 he was sent off in a 2-2 home draw with Chelmsford and Eliot had to serve a three match suspension as a result. He found the net in a 4-0 win at Sittingbourne on 3.4.99 and on 10.4.99 Eliot scored a sensational solo goal in a vital top-of-the-table clash with Havant & Waterlooville at Hartsdown Park. After only five minutes he picked the ball up 25 yards from goal and beat four men in a mazy run into the penalty area before precisely curling a shot into the top corner. He celebrated by running around frantically with his shirt over his head and Margate went on to win 2-0. Eliot made a total of 41 appearances and scored three times in a campaign which saw Margate win promotion to the Southern League Premier Division.

He began the 1999/00 season at left-back but after the first three games of the campaign Eliot lost his place to Paul O'Brien and didn't start any of Margate's next four matches. He returned to the side when he lined up in midfield for a match against Clevedon at Hartsdown Park on 11.9.99. Margate won 2-1 and Eliot then enjoyed a good run in the team, scoring his first goal of the season in a 3-0 win at Halesowen on 25.9.99. Over the course of the next two months he generally wore the number eight shirt but towards the end of 1999 Eliot played a few games at full-back once more.

By the start of 2000 Eliot was back in midfield and stayed there for the remainder of the campaign. The Thanet Times said he "put in his best performance for some time, with committed defensive work and impressive distribution" as Margate lost 2-1 at home to Tamworth on 26.2.00 and in its report on a 4-3 win at Merthyr on 11.3.00 the paper said that Eliot "kept the Welshmen pinned in their own half with a series of overlapping runs". He ended the season having scored once in 53 appearances (three as sub) and took his overall appearances for Margate past the 200 mark. In its review of the campaign the Thanet Times said Eliot "again showed plenty of bite despite lack of size. His crossing ability tested every defence".

He started the 2000/01 season in good form and the Thanet Times said Eliot was "lively-looking" in midfield as Margate lost 3-1 at home to Burton on 9.9.00. In its report on a 3-2 win at Havant & Waterlooville on 16.9.00 the paper said that "his delivery from corners and free-kicks had upset the defence" and after that match it was revealed that Eliot had played four games with damaged hamstring. Chris Kinnear said "I don't know how he manages it. It shows how much he cares for the club and wants to play. He's a very important player because he makes a lot of goals - his delivery on all crosses makes life very difficult for defenders". Eliot continued to shine in midfield and the Isle of Thanet Gazette said he "put the defence under pressure with a stream of crosses" in a 5-0 win over Welling at Hartsdown Park on 19.9.00. He scored his first goal of the campaign with a curling 25-yard free-kick in a 1-1 draw at Bath on 23.9.00 and the Thanet Times said Eliot's delivery from set-pieces had "bewildered defences all season". As September drew to a close the Isle of Thanet Gazette said he'd "been in outstanding form in midfield and picked up several assists". Eliot scored his next goal in a 4-0 home win over Tonbridge on 14.11.00 and the Isle of Thanet Gazette said he "had one of his best games...his trickery being too much for Tonbridge at times, and he deserved his goal". Eliot was ever-present in the number eight shirt until 9.12.00 when he missed a game at Tamworth due to the birth of his daughter and the Thanet Times said he "performed superbly" in Margate's next match - a 4-1 win at King's Lynn on 16.12.00.

On 1.1.01 Eliot had a penalty saved in a 3-2 home win over Folkestone but he continued to play an important part as Margate battled it out with Burton at the top of the Southern League Premier Division. He scored in a 4-0 win at Moor Green on 20.3.01 and got his fifth and final goal of the season in a 2-1 win at Clevedon on 21.4.01. The Thanet Times said it was a "well-taken individual goal" as Eliot beat a defender and curled a shot home. Nobody realised it at the time but Eliot's Margate career was rapidly drawing to a close and on 1.5.01 he made what turned out to be his last home appearance in a 0-0 draw with Newport that clinched the Southern League title and promotion to the Conference. Eliot then played in a 2-0 defeat at Burton on 5.5.01 - the last day of the 2000/01 campaign - but soon afterwards he announced that he'd be leaving the club as he was unable to commit to the travelling that Conference fixtures would entail. He'd made 49 appearances during the season.

In June 2001 Eliot told the Thanet Times "It's a real wrench for me to have to leave, because I really enjoyed my time at Margate. There's a great spirit at Margate and I really hope they go on to win the Conference. I got on really well with everyone at the club and I've got some really good friends there, so it was a terrible decision to have to make. But I've earnt good money in football and I have to think about my quality of life and my family." Looking back on the highlights of his time at Margate Eliot said "for me the best moment was winning promotion from the Southern Division after that battle with Havant, but there have been a lot of good times because we've been unbelievably successful. Obviously winning the title this year was a great feeling." Chris Kinnear told the paper "he was an important part of the team" and added "he's been a great servant to the club and we wish him all the best."

After leaving Margate Eliot joined Isthmian Premier League outfit Gravesend & Northfleet in the summer of 2001 and scored twice in 21 first team appearances (six as sub) for them during the 2001/02 season as they won the league title. He became the Fleet's reserve team manager for the start of the 2002/03 campaign and played for them when required. Eliot left the club at the end of the season and had no further involvement in senior football after that.

On 12.5.12 he returned to Hartsdown Park when he took part in Bill Edwards' testimonial match.