It is impossible to forget impact of Bristol Rovers and Newcastle United transfer agreement - View | OneFootball

There will have been few new signings at a football club, particularly on loan, who have made an impact quite like the Newcastle United youngster Elliot Anderson did at Bristol Rovers.

Affectionately nicknamed, ‘Billy’ by his Gas teammates because of his fancy footwork and Geordie roots – a nod to the film ‘Billy Elliot’ – he forever etched his name in Rovers Folklore when he helped the BS7 outfit to a promotion few will forget.

It is well-storied now, but I’m sure Gasheads will never tire of hearing about how Anderson became a club legend in only five months with the Pirates.

The Gas bagged a coup

A deadline day signing as the January transfer window came to a close, owing perhaps to the fact that then Rovers boss Joey Barton was friends with Newcastle United’s loan manager Shola Ameobi - Rovers seemingly bagged a coup when they secured the services of the highly sought after young midfielder.

Anderson was already highly regarded by those who had followed his early development. The youngster had been marked as a potential star of the future having been lighting up youth pitches at every level.

It wasn’t long before Anderson would start to shine, bagging his first career goal away at Stevenage and also picking up an assist on the way to a 4-0 thumping win for Rovers at the Lamex Stadium.

Anderson would continue to show what he was all about, mesmerising fans and opponents alike with his wizardry skills, and his finesse at times that of a seasoned pro. He would endear himself to the Gas fans week after week, bagging crucial winning goals and teasing defenders with his hypnotic attacking flair.

Thanks to a run of four goals in five matches from Anderson, the Gas were cooking as they went into the final day of the season guaranteed a spot in the playoffs but also with the slimmest of chances of achieving automatic promotion.

Although some fans dared to believe, at the first whistle it seemed unlikely. Rovers would need to win by a margin of five goals greater than that of their nearest rivals Northampton who were in that third and final automatic promotion spot.

Northampton were playing at Barrow and they were leading 3-0 within 25 minutes.

Surely that was it for Rovers.

The 'Miracle at the Mem'

At halftime, Rovers were leading 2-0 and Barrow had pulled one back against Northampton. With the score there 3-1, Rovers would still need that five-goal swing going into the second half. And so began the 'Miracle at the Mem'.

Bedlam was becoming as two goals each from Aaron Collins and Anthony Evans were ultimately followed by a seventh from Anderson on the most dramatic of the final day. With Barrow able to hold Northampton at 3-1, and Rovers holding their nerve to finish at 7-0, Bristol Rovers would secure that final automatic promotion spot.

The streets around the stadium became filled with Gasheads as one of the major routes into the city of Bristol was blocked for hours as fans and even the players and the ownership would conduct an impromptu parade around the streets near the stadium. No one who was there will forget the scenes of Aaron Collins climbing a lamppost in full Rovers gear as the Gas faithful celebrated into the night.

It is, of course, hard to say whether any player will make such an impact again, or whether Anderson will go on to better the euphoria of that day.

What can be said is that Gasheads will never forget the name Elliot Anderson, or the impact he had on the club during his brief stay at Bristol Rovers.