Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...
) is a Scottish football coach and former professional footballer. Ellis played for
Raith Rovers
Raith Rovers Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in the town of Kirkcaldy, Fife. The club was founded in 1883 and currently competes in the Scottish Championship as a member of the Scottish Professional Football Leagu ...
Cowdenbeath
Cowdenbeath (; sco, Coudenbeith) is a town and burgh in west Fife, Scotland. It is north-east of Dunfermline and north of the capital, Edinburgh. The town grew up around the extensive coalfields of the area and became a police burgh in 189 ...
and
Stirling Albion
Stirling Albion Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the city of Stirling. The club was founded in 1945 following the demise of King's Park after World War II. The club currently competes in Scottish League Two as a member of the ...
Dundee United
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in the city of Dundee. The club name is usually abbreviated to Dundee United. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1 ...
and was appointed Queen's Park manager in May 2021, before being released in December.
Playing career
Ellis started his senior career with
Raith Rovers
Raith Rovers Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in the town of Kirkcaldy, Fife. The club was founded in 1883 and currently competes in the Scottish Championship as a member of the Scottish Professional Football Leagu ...
after joining from Edinburgh amateur club Links United. Ellis debuted on 12 December 1998 versus
Greenock Morton
Greenock Morton Football Club is a Scottish professional football club, which plays in the Scottish Championship. The club was founded as Morton Football Club in 1874, making it one of the oldest senior Scottish clubs. Morton was renamed Green ...
in the
Scottish First Division
The Scottish Football League First Division was the second tier in the Scottish football league system between 1975 and 2013.
History
The First Division was introduced in 1975–76 to replace the old Scottish Football League Division Two, as ...
. Ellis made over 90 appearances for the Kirkcaldy club during his first spell and scored his first league goal on 25 November 2000 in a defeat versus
Ayr United
Ayr United Football Club are a football club in Ayr, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Championship, the second tier of the Scottish Professional Football League. Formed in 1910 by the merger of Ayr Parkhouse and Ayr F.C., their nickname is ...
.
Ellis remained at the Fife club until 2003, when he signed for St Mirren. Ellis debuted on 2 August 2003 versus Queen's Park in the
Scottish League Challenge Cup
The Scottish Professional Football League Challenge Cup, and stayed with the Paisley club for two seasons, before leaving at the end of the 2004–05 season when his contract expired. After being released by the ''Buddies'', Ellis returned to his former club at Stark's Park, debuting for a second time on 30 July 2005 versus
Elgin City
Elgin City Football Club (also known as City or The Black and Whites) is a professional senior football club based in Elgin, Moray.
Elgin was founded in 1893 and originally played their football in the Highland Football League. The club was g ...
in the
Scottish League Challenge Cup
The Scottish Professional Football League Challenge Cup, Ellis remained at the Kirkcaldy club for one season before joining their local Fife rivals
Cowdenbeath
Cowdenbeath (; sco, Coudenbeith) is a town and burgh in west Fife, Scotland. It is north-east of Dunfermline and north of the capital, Edinburgh. The town grew up around the extensive coalfields of the area and became a police burgh in 189 ...
, whose manager was his former St Mirren team-mate
Mixu Paatelainen
Mika-Matti Petteri Paatelainen (born 3 February 1967) is a Finnish former professional football player and the head coach of Veikkausliiga club HIFK. He scored 18 goals in 70 appearances for the Finnish national team, which makes him Finland's ...
.
Ellis debuted for the ''Blue Brazil'' on 5 August 2006 versus
Alloa Athletic
Alloa Athletic Football Club is a Scottish association football semi-professional club based in the town of Alloa, Clackmannanshire.
Formed as Alloa in 1880, the football club shortly changed its name to Alloa Association, and then to Alloa Ath ...
in the
Scottish Second Division
The Scottish Football League Second Division was the third tier of the Scottish football league system between 1975 and 2013.
History
The Second Division was created in 1975, as part of a wider reconstruction of the Scottish Football League (SFL ...
and went on to feature in all but four of their matches during the 2006–07 season, scoring six goals. At the end of the season he returned to play in the First Division, after signing for newly promoted
Stirling Albion
Stirling Albion Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the city of Stirling. The club was founded in 1945 following the demise of King's Park after World War II. The club currently competes in Scottish League Two as a member of the ...
on 1 June 2007. Ellis debuted for the ''Binos'' on 4 August 2007 versus Partick Thistle. During May 2008, Ellis returned for a third spell at Stark's Park, after one season at Forthbank . During August 2010, Ellis played his 250th match for Raith Rovers and on 15 October 2011 Ellis played his 300th game, scoring in a 2–0 win over the ''Harry Wraggs''.
Management and coaching
In July 2012, Ellis took up a role as first-team coach at Raith, as well as continuing as a player. In May 2016, he moved to
Dundee United
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in the city of Dundee. The club name is usually abbreviated to Dundee United. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1 ...
as assistant manager to Ray McKinnon. In October 2017, when McKinnon departed the club, Ellis was appointed caretaker manager. Ellis stayed on at United as assistant manager to Csaba László. On 30 September 2018, Ellis was appointed caretaker manager for a second occasion, after László departed the ''Terrors''. Ellis was also assistant manager to
Robbie Neilson
Robbie Neilson (born 19 June 1980) is a Scottish professional football manager and former player who is currently the manager of Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian.
Neilson, who played as a right-back, started his senior career with ...
at Tannadice for a brief spell until Neilson got his backroom team organised.
Ellis was appointed as assistant manager to
Gary Naysmith
Gary Andrew Naysmith (born 16 November 1978) is a Scottish football coach and former player, who is currently the manager of Scottish League Two side Stenhousemuir.
Naysmith, who played as a left-back or left-winger, started his senior ca ...
at Queen of the South in March 2019, but left the club two months later when Naysmith was sacked. After working for a time alongside Keith Wright at one of the Scottish Football Association Performance Schools, he joined Queen's Park as assistant manager in January 2020, once again working under McKinnon.
Ellis was appointed as Head Coach of Queen's Park on 21 May 2021, replacing former Head Coach Ray McKinnon. On 31 December, Ellis was relieved of his duties as manager following a downturn in form.
Managerial statistics
Honours
Raith Rovers
*
Scottish Second Division
The Scottish Football League Second Division was the third tier of the Scottish football league system between 1975 and 2013.
History
The Second Division was created in 1975, as part of a wider reconstruction of the Scottish Football League (SFL ...