Miserable in Edinburgh... but I’m made in Lithuania

Now Calum Elliot has found football heaven in the unlikeliest of places.

The 24-year-old is currently the top scorer in LITHUANIA for new club Zalgiris Vilnius.

He has already fired in six goals in his opening three games.

His team are also top of the country's A Lyga with maximum points.

And his performances have not gone unnoticed by clubs in neighbouring states.

It's been a remarkable turnaround for a player freed by the Tynecastle side in December.

The player's career seemed in doubt at one stage as he struggled with a serious knee injury.

But now Elliot's January move to the Baltic state has given him a new lease of life.

And the Scot admits even HE is stunned how quickly he has adapted to his new life abroad.

He told SunSport: "I wasn't sure what to expect when I first came out here. I obviously don't know the language, I didn't know much about Vilnius either.

"But I did know the chairman of the club from being at Hearts.

"And when I looked at their offer to come and play here I just thought 'Why not?'

"I wanted to get back playing after a tough time at Hearts.

"And I am grateful to Zalgiris for giving me the opportunity.

"I've made a good start and I know if I do well it could open up different opportunities for me.

"It's the first time I have spent any length of time away from home and that's been tough. But the good thing is it's been pretty much non-stop since I arrived here.

"The club went straight to a training camp in Croatia and then we were straight into games.

"It's when you get a bit of time to yourself that you start missing things back home.

"But I can't complain. I have been really well looked after so far.

"I want to repay the club by helping them win this league."

Elliot made an instant impact by scoring the late winner in a 2-1 victory over Banga.

He followed that up by smashing home four goals in a 7-0 romp against Atlantas.

And another late goal sealed a 1-0 win over Kruoja last weekend as Zalgiris maintained their 100 per cent record.

A similar start in the SPL would have seen Elliot dominate the headlines in this country.

But the striker admits Lithuanians don't care about football, with basketball their chosen sport.

And he actually quite likes it that he can walk around Vilnius and no one knows who he is.

He said: "In Lithuanian football this is a really big club. We're like Celtic back home. So we're expected to challenge for the title and that brings its own pressure.

"But it's not like fans are coming up to us all the time like they would do in Scotland.

"I can walk down the street, go shopping or for something to eat and nobody knows who I am.

"And that's fine by me. Basketball's the number one sport for the people here by a long way.

"That's not to say the football isn't decent, although it's very different to the SPL.

"It's a much slower game out here and a lot more technical.

"But it's been really enjoyable and I know I'll get better the more I adapt. So far communication hasn't been too big a problem because a few of the boys speak English.

"The funny thing is I can understand them — but they're struggling to understand me.

"I think that's because they learn an American English and my Scottish accent is confusing them!

"But we're getting there now. One of my team-mates is in the same apartment so we go out together.

"And he's now teaching me all the swear words I need to know in Russian! I have the Russian CDs in the flat and every night I go back I plan to sit down with them.

"So far I have been putting it off, but I know it's something I need to do. I want to try and adapt to the best of my ability."

In the meantime Elliot's family will fly out to Vilnius tomorrow to celebrate the striker's 25th birthday.

And he admits it will be nice to catch up with them having only been home for four days since leaving for Lithuania.

He said: "My time out here has actually gone really quickly but that's probably because I managed to nip home when I did.

"That allowed me to get a few things sorted out and now I'm really starting to feel at home here.

"It will be nice to have the folks over and I'm looking forward to showing them the sights."