Bristol Rovers plan to persuade Newcastle United to let them keep Elliot Anderson

Wheels are being put in motion to keep Elliot Anderson at Bristol Rovers for another season
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Bristol Rovers are putting a plan together to persuade Newcastle United to allow them to keep hold of promotion hero Elliot Anderson.

Anderson scored in the 85th minute to secure a third-placed finish for the Gas, finishing above Northampton Town on goals scored after both finishing on 80 points.

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Despite only being at the club for just under five months, he wrote his name into folklore when he netted the seventh goal against Scunthorpe United.

He has also proven he is a class above League Two and that interest from Luton Town before he moved to the West Country was merited.

Almost half of the Championship clubs have been credited with interest in the youngster but in a sensational turn of events, his stay at the Mem could be extended.

An article from The Chronicle says that Rovers have thrown their name in the hat to sign Anderson again next season with the promise of regular game time.

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The Magpies will want to have a closer look at the teenager with their boss Eddie Howe ‘disappointed’ that he had to drop to League Two to find game time.

That will be in the summer where they could run the rule over whether to include him in their first-team but Rovers are keen to have him on the first day of pre-season to ensure they are prepared for their first season back in League One.

Rovers are reportedly putting together a package that would persuade Academy manager Steve Harper and loan manager Shola Ameobi to keep Anderson at the Memorial Stadium.

“If I can’t guarantee him that game time, then definitely a loan spell will be an option again,” said Howe when asked about the plans over Anderson back in early April.

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“It’s very difficult for young players coming from the 18s to the 23s to make that jump into the first-team. “It’s probably one of the hardest transitions you have to make at Premier League level.

“That’s why the loan system is very important. “I think there will be (Championship clubs interested). I was disappointed for him that he didn’t get that opportunity at a higher level.”

With the season now concluded, the player will go off for a break and will mull over his options during that period with Rovers hoping they have left an everlasting impression.

Barton, a former player of Newcastle United, used the links at his former club to bring Anderson, who was an unknown quantity at the time to the club.

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Anderson had been a bolt out of the blue signing with Rovers focusing their attention elsewhere on deadline day with Liam Sercombe and Callum Camps both linked.

He defied any expectations and made 21 appearances, netting seven goals including the promotion clincher against Scunthorpe, as well as six assists.

The Newcastle youngster played centrally behind Aaron Collins as well as out on the left flank following the return of action of talisman Antony Evans.

“Elliot is a huge talent,” said Barton when asked in his post-match conference about the youngster. “He excites you and he showed a different gear to be the stand-out player on the pitch.”

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First-team boss Barton has had experience of working with loan players longer than a season before. At Fleetwood Town, he was entrusted for a season-and-a-half with Stoke City’s Harry Souttar.

Souttar ended up becoming a crucial player for Barton and played in the League One play-offs, before becoming a regular with the Potters.

That experience with the centre-back persuaded Stoke to give Rovers their young player of the year, Connor Taylor for the season.

Barton’s handling of Anderson, as well as Taylor and Cardiff City’s James Connolly, is the perfect example to Newcastle and other clubs to let them keep hold of their players.

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