▁announced ▁that ▁Elli ott ▁would ▁coach ▁the ▁Pen r ith ▁Pan thers ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁on wards , ▁having ▁signed ▁a ▁three - year ▁deal . ▁Elli ott ▁succeeded ▁John ▁Lang ▁in ▁this ▁position . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Elli ott ▁was ▁critic ized ▁for ▁Pen r ith ' s ▁consistent ▁poor ▁show ings ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁spec ulated ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁be ▁prem ature ly ▁s ack ed ▁before ▁he ▁saw ▁through ▁his ▁three - year ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁club . ▁Elli ott ▁however ▁def ied ▁the ▁pressure ▁and ▁criticism ▁and ▁managed ▁to ▁conv ince ▁the ▁board ▁into ▁letting ▁him ▁remain ▁in ▁charge ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁season . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁prom ising ▁start ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁season , ▁Elli ott ' s ▁contract ▁was ▁extended ▁to ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁season . ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁season , ▁the ▁Pan thers ▁finished ▁second ▁in ▁the ▁lad der , ▁but ▁they ▁did ▁not ▁win ▁a ▁match ▁in ▁the ▁final s ▁series . ▁Their ▁ 6 4 5 ▁was ▁the ▁most ▁points ▁scored ▁in ▁the ▁regular ▁season , ▁the ▁second ▁highest ▁being ▁ 5 5 9 . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 5 ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Elli ott ▁was ▁informed ▁by ▁the ▁Pen r ith ▁board ▁that ▁his ▁services ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁required ▁beyond ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁He ▁v owed ▁to ▁continue ▁at