Elliot Anderson returned to St James’ Park for the first time since leaving Newcastle United on Sunday.
The midfielder was forced to leave last summer because of lingering PSR problems which also saw them sell Yankuba Minteh to Brighton for around £33m.
Elliot Anderson has made a name for himself at Nottingham Forest, much to the dismay of Newcastle United fans who thought he would continue to develop under Eddie Howe’s tutelage. So far this season, the 22-year-old has scored once and bagged five assists as Forest look to qualify for the Champions League.
Their efforts took a big hit on Sunday as Newcastle came back from a goal down to secure a 4-3 win which saw them move up to fifth in the Premier League table.
It was heart in the mouth towards the end, but Newcastle’s win against Nottingham Forest was proof that the Magpies can still win in the ugly scraps and are very much still in the Champions League race.
As Anderson travels back to the midlands without a single point, he can take a fond memory back with him.
Newcastle fans chant towards Elliot Anderson
Thankfully for Anderson, Newcastle fans did not forget his time at the club and the fact he is a local lad. When players return to their former clubs, they are booed most of the time. That was not the case for Anderson who received a warm reception from the fans inside St James’ Park.
Anderson was taken off in the 76th minute after helping Forest score their second goal of the afternoon. As he was talking off, the home fans began applauding him, to which he responded with applause of his own.
Shortly after, fans in the Strawberry Corner could be heard chanting “Geordie Maradona”, a song they used to sing to Anderson when he was a Newcastle player. Forest fans have adopted Newcastle’s Anderson chant, singing it to him when he scored his first Premier League goal in January.
In a recent interview, Anderson admitted he didn’t want to leave Newcastle, it was a decision that was out of his hands but one he has taken in his stride.
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Newcastle may rue Elliot Anderson’s sale in years to come
When he was sold Howe admitted he was reluctant to sell Anderson because of how much he valued him. Injuries this season would have seen the Englishman enjoy renewed game time in Newcastle’s starting XI.
It was recently revealed that Newcastle wanted to give Anderson a new deal before he was sold in the summer – his good performances now mean that he is worth much more than the £35m that they sold him for.
At 22, Anderson has plenty of scope to develop his game and earn another big-money move to a new club later in his career. Another dagger for the Magpies is that Anderson doesn’t have a Newcastle buyback clause so if they want to bring him back to the club they have to spend heavily on him.
After the late scare, Newcastle fans will not look back on the win with fond memories. However, they will have enjoyed welcoming a former Toon star back to St James’ Park.
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