Kevin Stuhr Ellegaard - Club Career

Club Career

Born in Copenhagen, Ellegaard spent his youth years in various Zealand clubs. In July 2002 he moved from Farum BK to Manchester City. In the 2003–04 season, he made five full appearances and two substitute appearances for the club, replacing David Seaman both times when coming on as a substitute. He was loaned out to Blackpool FC for a month in January 2005. Stuhr Ellegaard moved to Germany to play for Hertha BSC in summer 2005. He had a hard time forcing his way into the starting line-up, and only played two Bundesliga games for the team. He moved to Danish club Randers FC as a free agent in the summer 2007.

In his first half season with Randers, Ellegaard only conceded 15 goals in 18 matches. He went on to play all Randers games in his first two seasons with the club, helping Randers finish sixth in the 2007–08 and fifth in the 2008–09 Superliga season. In the 2009–10 Superliga season, Ellegaard conceded 15 goals in the first seven games, and was dropped from the starting line-up by coach John Jensen in August. As Randers' results did not improve with new goalkeeper Nathan Coe, Ellegaard was reinstated in October 2009, and only conceded 8 goals in the 16 games unbeaten run that secured Randers FC another season in the top flight. Ellegaard and Randers decided to part their ways in June 2010, as they could not agree on a new contract.

Season 2010/11 the Netherlands top club SC Heerenveen had big problems with their goalkeepers, so they decided that they needed to contract a new goalie for a short period. The first-keeper Brian Vandenbussche got injured during a training session, which left Heerenveen with only one goalie, Kenny Steppe. So Heerenveen picked up Kevin on a testplay, since he had a lot of experience in bigger leagues and a fantastic season in Randers. A few days after his test period Heerenveen said that they liked what they saw and signed him for a 1-year contract. In the beginning Heerenveen saw him as a second-keeper behind Kenny, but Kevin impressed so much on the trainings that the trainer Ron Jans gave him his trust to guard the goal. Even if Kevin stood for 28 matches and impressed both the audience and the trainers for his play, they decided not to re-contract his 1-year, due the fact that Brian Vandenbussche was coming back from his injury. And they were satisfied with their old goalkeeper pair Kenny and Brian.

In July 2010 Ellegaard was announced in the starting line-up of Coventry City's friendly against Nuneaton Town FC. This was while on trial at the club. In his free agent period he has been training with FC Nordsjælland and represented them in several training matches. He recently rejected several bids from Danish and foreign clubs (Panionios GSS was very close, but Kevin rejected) due the fact he didn't want to play in Denmark. His aim was for Europe and a country outside Denmark. A club who plays in the top of the league and has a chance in winning titles and play in the Europa League/Champions League.

On 23 January 2012 Kevin signed a three-year contract with the Swedish top club IF Elfsborg on a free agent. A club that suits him the most of his alternatives, due the fact that Elfsborg have landed the top 4 six years in a row in the Swedish Allsvenskan, and played in Europa League and Champions League qualifications for the seventh year in a row with big success. Elfsborg's head coach Jörgen Lennartsson commented Kevin on a press conference as following: "It feels really good to have solved the goalie issue quickly and effectively. Kevin is a positive, energetic person with good range, nice feet and not least a lot of experience." Kevin commented why he chose Elfsborg and his strengths: "Medals! I want to win medals and not just lie in the middle of the league. Then it was of course nice to see how interested they were of me. My height and thus my reach. Good with feet, I'm pretty all-around actually." Kevin replaced Jesper Christiansen in Elfsborg who moved to Odense BK because of tense family situation. Same Christiansen who Kevin replaced in the Denmark national football team due to Jespers injury. Kevins debut for Elfsborg will be against his mother club and recent training club FC Nordsjælland.

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