Ell of a season can end on a high note

KEEPER ROB WANTS A GRAND FINALE TO ‘TOUGH’ CAMPAIGN

ROB Elliot admits it has been a “tough year” for Newcastle United with everything that has happened behind the scenes – but the Magpies’ goalkeeper hopes his side 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 a half weeks before the season started.

Bruce has gone on to guide Newcastle to 13th place in the table – the Black and Whites 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 yet made an appearance under Bruce but is hoping his side can give those fans watching on at home something to shout about when football returns behind closed doors next month.

He said: “There are plusses and minuses.

“When you play away from home, you have that bonus of not having the fans but for us at home, with the support we get – especially with the FA Cup included in that – it is going to be a big miss.

“I think the thing is you are very aware, even when you play in a packed stadium, that it is not just the 52,000 there but the millions around the world who are watching.

“We will be very aware there will be people at home watching.

“It will mean just as much regardless of whether the stadiums are full.”

Elliot added: “It has been a tough year for the club in terms of everything that has happened behind the scenes so I think to finish off the season with as much positivity as possible is what we are aiming for.

“There are still things going on so for the lads it is just getting back to playing football.

“It is going to be weird. I watched the Bundesliga and the weirdest thing was you can hear all the players talking. I think they have tried to mic it down a bit but it is going to be quite interesting.

“They are going to have to 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 is going to be different, but it is a responsibility we have to buy into and do the best we can and respect that we are going to finish it off.

“We want to make sure we carry on the work we have put in already and not let it fall away.”