With Tim Krul and Karl Darlow both injured, third choice keeper Rob Elliot has an opportunity to impress and to secure the goalkeeper jersey for the rest of the season. Despite the signing of Karl Darlow from Nottingham Forest, Elliot remained confident of fighting it out to wear the number 1 shirt and signed a new five-year contract back in January 2014.
Elliot was signed by Alan Pardew in 2011 and has had little chance to play given the general excellence of Dutch stopper Tim Krul. Elliot has played 27 times in all competitions and kept eight clean sheets, but has shipped 43 in that time and has not really been anything more than a back up.
Despite this, he kept faith and agreed to sign a long-term contract that has been kept under wraps until the lead up to the Norwich game. Quite why this is the case is unclear but, fortunately for Newcastle, Elliot is still on the books and they can field a keeper who does have some Premier League experience and has been with the group of players for four years. Elliot’s new contract is believed to run until 2019.
In the programme notes for the Norwich game, Elliot said “At the moment all I’m thinking about is the first couple of games, nothing beyond that.
“In the back of your mind is that desire and hope for a good run in the team, which is the one thing I have never really had here.
I’ve played a few games but there’s always been gaps in between them, and that isn’t ideal in showing what I can do.
“But I believe that every time I’ve played for Newcastle I have done well, even if the results haven’t indicated that.
“I haven’t played in the first team for a long time and this could be a chance to show everyone that I am a good goalkeeper, who is capable of pushing to get in the team.”
Elliot will now get his chance and he has to seize it with both hands.
