Top Premier League Goalscorers: Matt Elliott
Centre-back Elliott was signed by Martin O'Neill in early 1997 for a Club record fee reported to be in the region of £1.6M as the Foxes looked to preserve their Premier League status.
Despite being cup-tied for City's 1997 League Cup triumph over Middlesbrough, the Scotland international netted a brace three years later as Leicester defeated Tranmere Rovers at Wembley.
As well as becoming a mainstay in O'Neill's side in the late 1990s, Elliott also starred for the Club across two campaigns in Europe and helped City win promotion back to the top tier in 2003.
Despite predominately being a defender during his seven years as a Fox, Elliott was a useful option up front too, shown by his impressive record in front of goal...
Newcastle United 4 Leicester City 3
St. James' Park
Sunday 2 February, 1997
After proving his ability to find the net in the lower leagues with Oxford United, it look Elliott just four games in blue to open his account for Leicester. A typical header equalised Robbie Elliott's opener for Newcastle at St. James' Park in February 1997, kick-starting a glut of goals in the North East. Steve Claridge and Emile Heskey put the Foxes 3-1 up in the second half, but a stunning 13-minute hat-trick from Alan Shearer sealed the points for the Magpies.
Wimbledon 1 Leicester City 3
Selhurst Park
Saturday 1 March, 1997
Just a month later, Elliott's eye for goal was on show again, with a brace of close-range finishes in an impressive 3-1 success at Wimbledon. The first was a powerful half-volley, while the second was a more routine finish, but it nonetheless gave City a two-goal advantage in the capital. Mark Robins extended that lead and, while Dean Holdsworth narrowed it, the Foxes held out to register their ninth win of the season.
Leicester City 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0
Filbert Street
Wednesday 7 May, 1997
Elliott picked a good moment to score his maiden goal at Filbert Street, too, as his goal sealed the Foxes' top-flight status. Despite winning the League Cup, Leicester's Premier League status was still in doubt until the latter weeks of the season - that was until Elliott's smart turn and finish, in front of the Doubler Decker Stand, secured win no.12 for O'Neill's men.
Liverpool 1 Leicester City 2
Anfield
Wednesday 13 August, 1997
Buoyed by their impressive ninth-placed standing last time around, Leicester made a brilliant start to the 1997/98 campaign. Following an opening day victory over Aston Villa at Filbert Street, the Foxes left Anfield with a 2-1 success against Liverpool, with Elliott's close-range strike opening the scoring inside 60 seconds. Paul Ince levelled on 85 minutes, but Graham Fenton snatched all three points late on.
Leicester City 3 Arsenal 3
Filbert Street
Wednesday 27 August, 1997
City were still unbeaten, following a goalless draw against Manchester United, by the time Arsenal visited Leicester in late August. A dramatic night was to follow as Dennis Bergkamp netted a hat-trick and the Foxes often trailed in a helter-skelter affair. Elliott and Steve Walsh, either side of Bergkamp's 90th-minute third, sent Filbert Street into raptures as City secured a point with seconds to spare.
Leicester City 1 Wimbledon 1
Filbert Street
Sunday 27 September, 1998
City had suffered three defeats in four when Wimbledon headed to Filbert Street in September 1998. They trailed the Dons, too, through Robbie Earle's 74th minute, but there was Elliott to send a thunderous header beyond Neil Sullivan to salvage a point, sparking a five-game unbeaten run for the Foxes in the Premier League.
Leicester City 3 Nottingham Forest 1
Filbert Street
Saturday 12 December, 1998
It's easy to forget that Elliott was also an assured penalty taker for Leicester. Pierre van Hooijdonk, who would later be sent off, put Nottingham Forest ahead in Leicester, before Emile Heskey and then Elliott, from the spot, turned the game on its head, and Steve Guppy made sure with 15 minutes still to play.
Everton 2 Leicester City 2
Goodison Park
Monday 3 January, 2000
Three days into a new millennium, Elliott was playing in a more advanced role for the Foxes at Everton, who led through Don Hutchison at Goodison Park. Elliott, though, linked up with Tony Cottee twice to put City 2-1 ahead before the break, but a 56th-minute penalty from David Unsworth sealed a share of the spoils for the Toffees.
Leicester City 3 Bradford City 0
Filbert Street
Saturday 6 May, 2000
With Paul Jewell's Bradford desperately battling to avoid relegation, it took until the 59th minute for Leicester to open the scoring through Elliott's first of two goals at Filbert Street, three months after his Wembley heroics against Tranmere. Tony Cottee added a touch of gloss to the scoreline later on, but Bradford were in fact able to stay up, three points ahead of Wimbledon.
Leicester City 3 Charlton Athletic 1
Filbert Street
Saturday 16 December, 2000
Elliott's final Premier League goal for the Foxes, meanwhile, came as Peter Taylor's men continued to surprise English football by holding a place in the upper echelons of the top-flight table. Despite Jonatan Johansson's opener for Charlton, goals from Ade Akinbiyi and Arnar Gunnlaugsson, either side of Elliott's header, registered a comfortable success for City.
Elliott's 22 Premier League goals in full
Matt Elliott: Every Premier League Goal
Former Leicester captain Matt Elliott found the back of the net 22 times for the Foxes.