Ian Christopher Elsby (born 13 September 1960) is an English former footballer who played for Port Vale, Cleveland Cobras, Macclesfield Town and Congleton Town. His uncle is the former footballer Jim Elsby.

Ian Elsby
Personal information
Full name Ian Christopher Elsby[1]
Date of birth (1960-09-13) 13 September 1960 (age 64)[1]
Place of birth Stoke-on-Trent, England[1]
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Port Vale
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1979–1981 Port Vale 43 (1)
1979Cleveland Cobras (loan)
1981–1987 Macclesfield Town 170 (0)
1990–1994 Congleton Town 103 (1)
Total 316+ (2+)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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Elsby graduated from the Port Vale youth team to sign as a professional in May 1978.[1] He was immediately sent out to the USA on loan with Jimmy Melia's American Soccer League side Cleveland Cobras, but returned to Vale Park by August of that year.[1] He played five Fourth Division games under Dennis Butler in 1978–79 before becoming a first-team regular under new boss John McGrath from February 1980 to the end of the 1979–80 season.[1] He scored his first goal in the Football League on 9 February 1980, in a 1–1 draw with Huddersfield Town.[1] He fell out of favour the next season though, and was restricted to 23 appearances before being handed a free transfer in May 1981.[1] He moved on to Macclesfield Town (Northern Premier League) and Congleton Town.[1] He was voted Macclesfield's Player of the Year in 1981–82 and won the Cheshire Senior Cup in 1983.[3] In summer 1986 he was in a car crash with teammates Nigel Shaw, Steve Waddington and Trevor Brissett.[4]

Career statistics

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Source:[5]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Port Vale 1978–79 Fourth Division 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
1979–80 Fourth Division 21 1 0 0 1 0 22 1
1980–81 Fourth Division 17 0 5 0 1 0 23 0
Total 43 1 5 0 2 0 50 1
Macclesfield Town 1981–82[6] Northern Premier League 42 0 1 0 10 0 53 0
1982–83[7] Northern Premier League 42 0 5 0 10 0 57 0
1983–84[8] Northern Premier League 36 0 7 0 8 0 51 0
1984–85[9] Northern Premier League 38 0 1 0 9 0 48 0
1985–86[10] Northern Premier League 12 0 0 0 0 0 12 0
Total 170 0 14 0 37 0 221 0
Career total 213 1 19 0 39 0 271 1

Honours

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Individual

Macclesfield Town

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 95. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. ^ Rollin, Jack (1980). Rothmans football yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 299. ISBN 0362020175. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  3. ^ "Profile". silkmenarchives.org.uk. Archived from the original on 5 November 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  4. ^ "Northern Premier League". mtfc.co.uk. 30 November 2007. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  5. ^ Ian Elsby at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  6. ^ "Stats". silkmenarchives.org.uk. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  7. ^ "Stats". silkmenarchives.org.uk. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  8. ^ "Stats". silkmenarchives.org.uk. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  9. ^ "Stats". silkmenarchives.org.uk. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  10. ^ "Stats". silkmenarchives.org.uk. Retrieved 12 July 2016.