Anton McElhone appointed assistant manager

Greenock Morton Football Club are pleased to announce the appointment of Anton McElhone as assistant manager on a three-year contract.

A sports scientist specialising in fitness and conditioning, McElhone entered professional football as part of the backroom staff at Hibernian before making the switch to English Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur.

Following a decade of service with Spurs, the 38-year-old was hand-picked by former USA international goalkeeper Brad Friedel to be his head of fitness and coaching at MLS outfit New England Revolution.

However, it was a relationship forged with David Hopkin on coaching courses at home that saw him return to the UK to take up a position as assistant manager at Bradford City, and now accept his offer to be his Ton No.2.

Hopkin said: “Anton has come on board as my assistant manager. I’ve known him a long time – we did our B Licence together – and he’s fantastic.

“He’s worked at the top level. He spent 10 years at Tottenham as the first-team fitness coach, and then went to New England in America.

“That was because Brad Friedel wanted to take him with him. He had worked with him and knew how good he is and how intense he is.

“When I got the Bradford job, he came back as my assistant manager. After I left Bradford, I had a couple of teams who wanted to speak to me.

“I sat down with Anton to discuss those, and then this opportunity at Morton came up. Anton has moved back to Glasgow and he was eager to come here with me and see how we can build the club.”

Image: Jonathan Mitchell