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‘No R word yet!’ – 46 year old Kevin Ellison extends stay at 8th tier club ahead of 2025/26 season

‘No R word yet!’ – 46 year old Kevin Ellison extends his stay at 8th tier club Vauxhall Motors ahead of the 2025/26 season.

The veteran striker, who began his career way back in 1996 with Southport, joined Vauxhall Motors in March 2024 and became a key player last season, scoring 15 goals to finish as the club’s second-highest goalscorer for that season.

His efforts helped the team reach the Northern Premier League West playoffs, but lost 3-1 to Hednesford Town in the semi final.

And these days, he works as a teacher at a local school in Liverpool, saying that being head of year 10 is keeping him fit.

Ellison’s extensive career includes over 550 Football League appearances, and has played at every level throughout the last 29 years or so.

His contract, set to expire on June 30th, 2025, was extended, and will again be hoping to help the club get promotion.

He said: “If you’d have told me when I was 20 that I’d have probably got 8 to 10 years, which is the average span of a professional footballer back then, I’d have snapped your hands off.

“But for me to get to 43 and be a professional footballer, I think when I look back at it now being harsh on myself, I think it’s an unbelievable achievement.

“He knows I’m not going to run around and burn around on the Astro Turf on a Tuesday, do you know what I mean?

“So, he looks after me a little bit, which the lads aren’t happy with.

“But as long as I’m fit and got me boots on for the Saturday, that’s all that matters.

“Yeah, Vauxhall, I think last year when I joined, I was reading, obviously internet and social media as you do, and Vauxhall were tipped to go down. They were tipped to get relegated. I’m thinking, oh, we might be in for a long season here.

“But we had an unbelievable season last year and I know you look back at it and think, oh well, we got beat in the semi.

“For us, it was a great achievement for where people at the time there’s a new manager coming in and people writing us off.

“But we got to the playoffs yet with this, but this season Gaff has regrouped. We’ve got a few new signings. Hopefully, we can kick on and maybe hopefully go one better.”

HIS CAREER:

Senior career
1996 – Southport – 4 games
1997 – Chorley – 4 games
1997–1999 – Conwy United – 37 games (7 goals)
1999–2001 – Altrincham – 69 games (26 goals)
2001 – Leicester City – 1 game (0 goals)
2001–2004 – Stockport County – 52 games (2 goals)
2004 → Lincoln City (loan) – 13 games (0 goals)
2004–2005 – Chester City – 30 games (11 goals)
2005–2006 – Hull City – 41 games (2 goals)
2006–2007 – Tranmere Rovers – 38 games (4 goals)
2007–2009 – Chester City – 81 games (20 goals)
2009–2011 – Rotherham United – 74 games (15 goals)
2011 → Bradford City (loan) – 7 games (1 goal)
2011–2020 – Morecambe – 391 games (88 goals)
2020–2022 – Newport County – 45 games (4 goals)
2022-2023 – Warrington Rylands – 3 games (0 goals)
2022-2023 – City of Liverpool – 28 games (5 goals)
2023-2024 – Runcorn Town – 14 games (2 goals)
2023-2025 – Vauxhall Motors – 49 games (17 goals)
Total – 983 games (202 goals)

Speaking about why he continues to play, Ellison told Sky Sports ahead of Non League Day 2025: “It’s my body I’m grateful for because my body allows me to. Most importantly, at my age, 46, but I love it.

“I love football and if you were to say to me ‘Come and play here on a Sunday next season’, I probably would so it’s the passion. I’ve still got passion, still got desire, I still want to do well.”

Opening up on being a teacher at a school, he said: “Every day is different, it’s challenging, I probably get about 15,000 steps a day, that keeps me fit as well, chasing the kids around, trying to get them into lessons.

“I love it, I’ve got a great relationship with the kids in school, I think they respect me a little bit more because I’ve played football and I’m in an area where I grew up and it’s an area near Anfield where not many people have got many things so the only way out is something like that.

“So if I can inspire one of them to just believe in themselves and kick on – whether it’s to go into education further, to be a nurse, doctor, footballer, whatever it may be, I’m there.”

Here’s how fans reacted as 46 year old Kevin Ellison extends stay at the 8th tier club ahead of the 2025/26 season…

@75Carole: It’s great to see you keep going Kevin, I wish I had your energy! 😃 Good luck and enjoy every precious second 🤗 xxx

@MarpleAlty: You were my favourite player at Alty when I was 12. I’m now 38 😂 Unreal stamina 🤝🏻

@Staceywestblog: I’m becoming more convinced that he’s Voldemort as the days go by

@MrJackTyson: I remember watching him over the years for Morecambe against Carlisle. I player you’d hate to play against and love on your team. Used to give it to the fans as good as he got. A legend of the lower leagues and I think underrated.

@LukeRavenscr0ft: He’s 47 this season 😳 #bcafc

@Inter_Alty1977:
Age is just a number…
46yr old Kev plays on! 👏👏👏
Top bloke & great role model…
Best wishes for the season ahead
@KEVIN11ELLISON

@Bobbyburns316: Kev there a fella playing in the Japanese league is 58 so you got a few years left in you yet mate 😂😂

@rigsby913: He’s an absolute machine this fella, best of luck for the new season @KEVIN11ELLISON

@benholmes94: 🙌 one for the future this lad 🤣

@DumzelDenfries: How is Kevin Ellison still knocking about 🤣 FairPlay 🙌

@thejwp1997: That’s our super Kev 🤍💙

@Miown_Thoughts: Fair play to you 👍🏻 always remember you winding the home crowd up at the Kenny – good luck for the season

@liamalexanderj: Looking forward to you coming to Gigg mate – be like the old EFL days all over again…always a good crack 😂

@MundleSZN: What a fucking boy

@Iatics: More clubs than a deck of cards

@Leeadamson70: This fella has Eveready batteries, he goes on and on! Loved him at Hull City, which seems decades ago!

@MConnell2021: Is right Kev! brilliant news for the motors, great player to have on and off the pitch leading by example 👌🏼⚪🔵

@RossendaleWhit1: Never thought I’d see this lad run out at Gigg Lane again..sure to get a warm reception! 😉 @KEVIN11ELLISON 🤝🏻🫡

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