Elliot wants a positive end to a ‘tough’ season
OB Elliot admits it has been a ‘tough year’ for Newcastle United – but the goalkeeper hopes the Magpies can ‘finish off the season with as much positivity as possible.’
Supporters were left devastated following the departure of popular manager Rafa Benitez last summer and the Spaniard’s successor, Steve Bruce, repeatedly stressed he knew he was not going to be everyone’s cup of tea when he was parachuted in as head coach just three-and-ahalf weeks before the season started.
Bruce has gone on to guide Newcastle to 13th place in the table – the Magpies are eight points clear of the relegation zone – and into the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2006.
Elliot, who is entering the final weeks of his contract, has not played under Bruce but hopes United can give fans watching at home something to shout about when football returns behind closed doors.
“There’s plusses and minuses. When you play away from home, you’ve got that bonus of not having the fans but, obviously, for us at home, with the support we get, especially with the FA Cup included in that, it’s going to be a big miss,” the Irish international said.
“But I think the thing is you’re very aware, even when you play in a packed stadium, that it’s not just the 52,000; it’s the millions around the world that do watch and we will be very aware that there will be people at home watching. It will mean just as much regardless of whether the stadiums are full.
“It’s been a tough year for the club in terms of everything that’s happened behind the scenes so I think to finish off the season with as much positivity as possible is what we’re aiming for and they’re still things going on so for the lads, it’s just getting back to playing football.
“It’s going to be weird. I watched the Bundesliga and the weirdest thing was you can hear all the players talking. I think they’ve tried to mic it down a bit but it’s going to be quite interesting.
“They’re going to have to definitely delay it or something because some of the lads with the language and what not...I think Matt Ritchie should have a mic on him because that would be hilarious.
“It’s going to be different, but it’s a responsibility that we have to buy into and do the best we can and respect that we are going to finish it off.”