[10][11] He was named as Carlton's captain for the 1908 season,[12] and he became captain-coach when Jack Worrall resigned midway through 1909.

[14] He later played a single game for Footscray,[15] the 1912 VFA Grand Final, being brought in to the team in an unsuccessful attempt to counter Dave McNamara, who was an influential player in Essendon Association's victory.

[16] It is possible that Fred's football nickname of "Pompey", which was applied at least as early as 1905,[17] came from the Roman general and statesman Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (106BC–48BC).

One of Australia's greatest military figures, Major General Harold Elliott (1878–1931), also acquired the nickname "Pompey".

Besides sharing the same surname, his troops apparently included some former Carlton football players who thought that he reminded them of Fred Elliott, possibly as an inspiring leader.

Some other Carlton players had enlisted, and Fred had received white feathers in the mail, designating cowardice.

[21] He was relocated to the Receiving House at Royal Park, during which time the football club quietly intervened to meet his family's mortgage repayments at 17 Homer Street, Moonee Ponds.

[1] Fred was known as a gentleman by his family and had been a popular local figure in the Moonee Ponds area.