Paul Elliott (footballer)

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Paul Elliott MBE (born 18 March 1964 in Lewisham, London) is a former footballer who played as a defender.

Starting his career with Charlton Athletic in the early 1980s, Elliott signed for First Division Luton Town in 1982. He then joined Aston Villa (in 1985) and spent two years at Italian club Pisa Calcio before joining Celtic in 1989. In his final season at Parkhead, Elliott was awarded the Scottish Footballer of the Year award. In the summer of 1991, he signed for Chelsea for £1,400,000.

He was forced to retire in 1994, after sustaining a serious injury resulting from a reckless challenge from Liverpool's Dean Saunders. In 2003 he was awarded the MBE for his work with young players and his involvement with anti-racism initiatives in football. As one of the first black players to play for either side of the Old Firm, Elliott was subject to abuse from fans of Rangers. [1]