FORMER Sunderland and Darlington manager Billy Elliott has died at the age of 82, writes WILL SCOTT.

Elliott's love affair with Sunderland and the North-East began when he arrived from Burnley for a fee of £26,000 in June 1953, and went on to make 212 appearances, netting 26 times for the then Roker Park club during a six-year spell.

He left the Black Cats in 1959 to join Wisbech Town before embarking on a managerial career, which saw the Bradford-born left midfielder take charge of the Libya national team and Belgian side Daring FC.

Elliott returned to Sunderland in 1968 to work as a coach under Alan Brown but took charge in a caretaker capacity for four games in 1972 when Brown was sacked.

He remained at Roker Park under new boss Bob Stokoe and was part of the backroom team when the Black Cats won the FA Cup in 1973.

He had a spell coaching Norwegian side Brann Bergen between 1974 and 1978, before returning to Wearside in December of that year for his second spell as caretaker boss.

Elliott remained in charge until the end of that season, almost guiding the Black Cats to promotion, but the board decided they wanted Ken Knighton to take over.

Elliott then took charge at Darlington in June 1979 where he remained until he completely retired from football in June 1983.

But, despite being born in Bradford, he remained in the North-East and lived in Roker with his wife Peggy.

He made his England debut on May 18, 1952 in a 1-1 draw with Italy in Florence and also played in his country's 3-2 win against Austria a week later - a match which famously saw the England side dubbed the Lions of Vienna'.

The following season he played against Northern Ireland and Wales and made the his fifth and final appearance for England against Belgium in 1953.