One Ell of an achievement!

Step 3&4 Player of the Year

Danny Elliott – Macclesfield

OH DANNY BOY! Danny Elliott is pictured with his Step 3 & 4 Player of the Season award at AFC WImbledon

PICTURE: Matt Bristow

GOAL-DEN BOY: Danny Elliott scored 41 goals for Macc

MACCLESFIELD’S Danny Elliott admits he was feeling on cloud nine after being named the Step 3&4 Player of the Year at the National Game Awards, in association with Isuzu.

Elliott netted 35 times to fire the Silkmen to the NPL Premier title in emphatic fashion as Robbie Savage’s side racked up a massive 109 points – 26 clear of closest challengers Worksop Town.

In all, Elliott plundered 41 goals and having played a central part in one of the most dominant teams in English football this season – including a 12-game winning streak to end the campaign – the former Scunthorpe and Boston United man was left bursting with joy.

“It’s an honour to win this award,” said the 29-year-old. “It’s brilliant to be here and to end a brilliant season with some accolades means a lot. It’s an honour.

“There are a lot of good players across Step 3 and Step 4 so it is brilliant to win this award and I really appreciate it.

“There’s a great buzz around the club. We won the league mid-March and finished with 12 wins in a row so there was a real togetherness with the club.

“It is a brilliant place to be and I’m looking forward to next season as well.

“Robbie’s a big character. He has his ways but I really enjoy him, he is approachable and we can speak to him. You can give him your opinion and he’ll listen.

“He knows when to put his arm around somebody and when to shout and he has managed me well, especially when my confidence was low and wasn’t scoring at first.”

Elliott has been a stand-out performer across Non-League for a number of seasons and was part of Hartlepool United‘s promotion to the Football League through the National League play-offs in 2021, scoring his penalty in the shoot-out in the final against Torquay.

And he enjoyed being part of the celebrations at AFC Wimbledon’s Plough Lane Stadium on Wednesday as the great and good of the game were honoured.

Elliott added: “There are a lot of good players in Non-League. I’ve played in different steps in Non-League and in League Two as well and it’s really important to celebrate them and the place that football plays in the community across the country.

“It’s vital to celebrate Non- League and the clubs, players and the fans. It’s a brilliant part of our culture.”