Tranent Juniors preparing to appoint new manager after former Hearts striker Calum Elliot resigns

Tranent Juniors are preparing to appoint a new manager after announcing the resignation of Calum Elliot just five games into their first season in the Lowland League.

The club announced the former Hearts striker’s shock departure today after two years in charge and said the process to find a successor is already under way.

“Tranent Juniors can confirm that Calum Elliot has resigned from his position as manager with immediate effect,” read the club statement.

“The club would like to place on record its thanks to Calum for his time with us and wish him all the best for the future. The process to recruit Calum’s successor is already under way with an update to follow in due course.”

Elliot, 35, led Tranent to the East of Scotland Premier Division title last season and then secured promotion to the Lowland League with a play-off victory over West of Scotland champions.

The club have made a good start to life in the fifth tier with three wins and one draw and after the opening-day defeat to title favourites East Kilbride. They are in eighth place with 10 points, but have two games in hand over most of the teams above them.

An ambitious young coach who has been moving quickly through the levels, Eliot grew up in the south west of the Capital and spent eight injury-interrupted years at Hearts.

He started his coaching career when still in his 20s after being forced to retire as a player due to knee injuries.

Calum Elliot has resigned as Tranent Juniors manager

After hanging up his boots at Raith Rovers in 2015, Elliot became manager of Edinburgh United when the club were still in the juniors and he hasn’t looked back since.

He had a spell as player and manager at Mousehole in Cornwall, and two years in charge at East of Scotland League side Tynecastle before moving to Tranent in September 2020.

He has been well backed financially at Forrester’s Park, but brought in the right players at the right time to give his squad the edge in an exciting three-way East of Scotland Premier Division title race last season involving Penicuik Athletic and Linlithgow Rose.