Ian Elsby

Ian Elsby

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

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.

Playing career

Elsby graduated from the Port Vale youth team to sign as a professional in May 1978. He was immediately sent out to the United States on loan with Jimmy Melia's American Soccer League side Cleveland Cobras, but returned to Vale Park by August of that year. 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. He scored his first goal in the Football League on 9 February 1980, in a 1–1 draw with Huddersfield Town. He fell out of favour the next season though, and was restricted to 23 appearances before being handed a free transfer in May 1981. He moved on to Macclesfield Town (Northern Premier League) and Congleton Town. He was voted Macclesfield's Player of the Year in 1981–82 and won the Cheshire Senior Cup in 1983. In summer 1986 he was in a car crash with teammates Nigel Shaw, Steve Waddington and Trevor Brissett.

Honours

Individual

• Macclesfield Town F.C. Player of the Year: 1981–82

Macclesfield Town

• Cheshire Senior Cup winner: 1983