Elwood moved away from home to do his two years in the club’s youth team in Darlington, County Durham.
Misfortune hit in the form of a broken talus (the bone that makes up the lower part of the ankle joint).
Returning from this injury, he played semi-professional non-league football.
Following the talus injury, he had a recurring shoulder dislocation . . . it went out four times.
When he had fully recovered his fitness, Elwood had a trial in Iceland and was offered a contract to play there.
He spent three years in Iceland, training full-time.
“The standard of football was very high and the amount of training was great,” Elwood said.
“But in the end I had no choice but to leave Iceland, not for football reasons but because of complications with my visa.
“More and more post-Brexit regulations were being brought in. Near the end of my time in Iceland, I was no longer even allowed to play games, just train.
“Overall, I loved my time in Iceland. The only unfortunate factors were the seasons being interrupted by Covid several times, and my visa issues.”
Brexit and the associated visa issues prompted him to look beyond Europe for footballing options abroad.
“Once you come out of the academy system at 18 in England and drop into semi-pro, non-league football, the play can often be very direct with a lot of long ball.
“I’ve always been more suited to a possession-based style of football, which is embedded into you throughout your academy development. I felt I’d be more suited to a foreign style of play rather than non-league football in England.
“And England is also the most competitive country in the world to get somewhere in football in terms of a career.”
Elwood thought a move to a country with a smaller football base but a desire to make progress held more promise.
“I networked with clubs and coaches in Australia,” he said.
He had several offers and several trials before joining Balgownie Rangers in Wollongong, New South Wales.
It is the oldest football club still running in Australia, having been established in 1883 (the same year Darlington FC was founded).
“I had five months with Balgownie and started every game during my time there,” Elwood said.
“I wasn’t unhappy over there, football-wise, but at the same time I wasn’t enjoying it. So that made me want to consider other options.
“The obvious other nation geographically to look into was New Zealand.
“I researched the football tier system and then started to network with a few clubs, including Gisborne Thistle.”
He’d read an online article about the travel challenges facing Thistle in the wake of the damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle. His interest was further piqued when he saw the Jags were looking for players to strengthen their squad.
Elwood has always played in central midfield, and says he hopes his contacts can be useful should the club seek to strengthen the squad in other areas as well.
He wants to play at the highest level he can, whether that be in New Zealand or elsewhere.
““Garrett Blair and Ryan Majstrovic have been brilliant to me, and right now my focus is on Thistle and helping the club get promoted. I’m really excited by the ambitious work going on here.”
Elwood said he was also keen to develop in the coaching side of the game and was looking forward to taking part in academy-style coaching.
