Ben Dawson worked with the Nottinghgam Forest star during his formative years at Newcastle United
England's Elliot Anderson
England's Elliot Anderson(Image: PA)
Ben Dawson believes Elliot Anderson’s bold decision to ‘back himself’ over his international future has paid off as the former Newcastle United midfielder prepares to make his senior England debut.
Dawson worked with Anderson throughout his time in the Magpies youth ranks and was part of a major decision over the biggest step in his career on Tyneside as the academy product was thrust into the senior setup at St James Park amid a raft of interest from clubs keen to take him on loan.
Anderson impressed Magpies boss Eddie Howe during a loan spell with Bristol Rovers as the Wallsend Boys Club product scored eight goals and provided five assists in 21 appearances to help the Gas to promotion into League One during the second half of the 2021/22 season.
Anderson was part of United’s first team plans for the following campaign despite talk of another loan move away from Tyneside and had made 55 appearances for his boyhood club prior to a reported £35 million last summer.
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There was much frustration within the St James Park hierarchy at Anderson’s departure as the academy product’s sale was hastily completed to allow the Magpies to avoid punishment under the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations.
However, the move has benefitted the player himself as he established himself as a key figure within Nuno Espirito Santo’s side as Forest qualified for Europe for the first time since 1995 with a seventh placed finish in last season’s Premier League.
Anderson has made an impressive start to the current season and his form has been rewarded after he was named in the senior England squad alongside former Magpies team-mates Tino Livramento, Dan Burn and Anthony Gordon.
Things could have been very different for Anderson after he made a handful of appearances for Scotland at various age groups before opting against earning a maiden senior cap with Steve Clarke’s side.
After impressing at Under-21 level with England and helping the Three Lions youngsters in their defence of their European Championship title during the summer, the former Magpies midfielder will now hope to secure a first senior cap in Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Andorra at Villa Park.
Dawson praised Anderson for his bold decision that has led to his first call into the senior England ranks and is delighted to see the progress he has made since his time within the Magpies youth setup.
Elliot Anderson of Newcastle United (67) scores the equalising goal for Newcastle during the Leasing.com Trophy match between Port Vale and Newcastle United at Vale Park on November 12, 2019 in Burslem, England. (Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
Elliot Anderson scores for Newcastle United during the Leasing.com Trophy match at Port Vale in 2019
(Image: Newcastle United via Getty Image)
He told Chronicle Live: “I speak to Elliot a little bit every once in a while and he’s delighted with the call-up and rightly so. Everybody at the academy, his family, everyone he has come into contact with are delighted and we always speak highly of him.
“I said to him a while ago that his decision after representing Scotland at a younger age group and being adamant that he would be good enough to play for England would pay off.
"He backed himself to get to that stage and I don’t think there is anybody who could query the decision to call him up for the first time because of his performances last year and his recent form at the start of this season.”
Following Saturday’s meeting with Andorra, Anderson and his England team-mates will turn their focus towards a visit to Serbia on Tuesday night.
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