“He’s a hell of a player” – Joey Barton reveals first impression of Toon talent he’s signed on loan

There have been a lot of words spoken about the talents of NUFC youngster Elliot Anderson who has been in and around the first-team for a couple of seasons now. Indeed, having already made his NUFC debut he had been expected to kick-on this season.

But he began the season on the injured list and needing to get back to full fitness. Once he did that a loan move was very much in United’s thinking to give Anderson experience and the chance to play first-team football at a senior level.

Many thought he’d go to a Championship club or at the very least a League 1 side. That, in the end, he ended up with ex-Magpie Joey Barton and his Bristol Rovers tenure in League 2 came as a bit of a surprise.

However only three games into the loan spell it appears that the move may well have been a shrewd one with Anderson impressing all that have seen him not least the Rovers fans who have been raving about him since his arrival.

On Tuesday night at home against Sutton United, Anderson was Rovers’ Man of the Match with an assist and going close on no less than three occasions to getting a goal himself. It would appear that League 2 is perhaps a level where he’s going to stand out.

Clearly ex-NUFC schemer and Rover’s boss Barton thinks so as he waxed lyrical about a player that he seems to have taken to his heart and is delighted to have as part of his options in his squad.

“He’s a hell of a player.

“We’re delighted to have him at the football club. Obviously my black-and-white allegiance and my North East fairytale continues.

“I’d love to help them develop one of their younger players, and I’m thankful that they trust us with a boy as talented as Elliot.

“Credit to him, I thought tonight [Tuesday] you wouldn’t think he was playing his third senior start. But that showcased what we thought we’d seen in the Sutton away game.

“He came on in that game, showed real brightness, a real inventive mind and he wants to go past people.

“He takes the ball in tight areas, and I just really enjoyed watching the team tonight and young Elliot.”

An extremely promising start then for Anderson and one that if he builds on will certainly get him more exposure and experience as he attempts to forge a career in the professional game with NUFC hopefully being the benefactors.

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