Anthony Elding

Boston United

Elding was born in Boston, Lincolnshire. Having been a member of Nottingham Forest's Centre of Excellence and enjoying run-outs with the academy teams at Lincoln City and Grimsby Town, Elding joined hometown club Boston United's academy at the end of the 1998–99 season. Elding had his first taste of first team football as an unused substitute in the 1–1 Southern Football League draw at Atherstone United on 11 December 1999 but his senior debut did not come until 16 September 2000 when he appeared as a substitute for the final three minutes of the 2–1 home Football Conference victory over Morecambe. Four days later he marked his first start for the club with a goal after just 32 seconds in the 5–1 home defeat to Nuneaton Borough in the Conference League Cup, and he remained a regular presence around the first team squad for the remainder of the season. In September 2001, to gain experience, he joined Bedford Town on loan making a goalscoring debut in the 1–1 away draw with Heybridge Swifts on 18 September 2001. Returning to Boston, he scored his first Conference goal for the club in the 1–1 draw at Margate on 1 December 2001 and three further goals in his next two games saw him attract the attention of Premier League scouts. In January 2002, he trialled with Tottenham Hotspur, appearing for the reserves in their 1–0 defeat at Nottingham Forest's reserves on 14 January 2002. The following week he trialled with Bolton Wanderers scoring twice for the…

Elding currently holds the UEFA 'A' qualification, after completing the UEFA B. In 2023 Elding was appointed first team coach at League of Ireland Premier Division club Sligo Rovers. Elding was linked with first team head coach position at League of Ireland First Division clubs Longford Town & Wexford FC season 2025 after going through the final stages of the interview process. In 2025 Elding was appointed first team assistant manager of League of Ireland First Division club Athlone Town. Elding has held elite academy head coach positions at Longford Town, Sligo Rovers, Mayo FC, Ballinamallard United, while supporting first team coaching at Ferencvarosi Tc. Elding being linked with the first team head coach position at former league of Ireland club Sligo Rovers where he became a club legend after scoring the winning goal in the 2013 FAI Cup final in a dramatic 94th minute.

His son Owen Elding, is a professional footballer playing for Hibernian and the Republic of Ireland national team.

Boston United

Southern League Premier Division: 1999–2000 (promotion to Football Conference) Football Conference: 2001–02 (promotion to Division Three) Stockport County

EFL League Two Play off 2007-08 Stockport County

EFL League Two Player of the month February & March Respectively 2007 Leeds United

EFL League One Play-off Runners-up: 2008 Grimsby Town

Lincolnshire Senior Cup 2011–12, 2012–13 England C

Four Nations Tournament 2004–05 Stevenage Borough

Nationwide Conference Play off Runner-up 2005 Sligo Rovers

League of Ireland Player of the month 2013 Sligo Rovers

FAI Cup: 2013

Head coach

Manulla FC

Mayo League: Westaro League Cup: 2016 Longford Town MU17

League of Ireland: 2022 Sligo Rovers MU15

League of Ireland: 2024