Newcastle United welcomed Kenny Dalglish to St. James’ Park in January 1997, with the Scotsman replacing the ‘King’ Kevin Keegan.
But while Dalglish helped Newcastle finish second in the Premier League at the end of the 1996/97 season, he was forced into selling Peter Beardsley, Lee Clark, Les Ferdinand and David Ginola – players who had all been important figures for the Magpies under Dalglish.
The reason, it later transpired, is because owners John Hall and Freddy Shepherd were looking to float the club on the stock exchange, and believed selling players would help the club’s financial position become stronger.
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Academy graduate and boyhood Newcastle fan Robbie Elliott also left in the summer of 1997, despite having played 29 times in the Premier League during the 1996/97 season.
Establishing himself at left-back upon Dalglish’s arrival at the club, Elliott also scored seven goals that term, but was soon heading towards the exit door when a £2.5m bid was accepted from Bolton Wanderers in the second tier. It’s a move he later regrets agreeing to, as he clarifies what happened.
“It wasn’t Kenny’s decision to sell me,” Elliott exclusively reveals to FourFourTwo. “The limited company in charge of Newcastle at the time chose to sell me, Lee Clark and Les Ferdinand.
“I loved playing under Kenny and was looking forward to another season with him when Bolton’s offer came in. I was hurt that it was accepted and, being young and naive, I signed for Wanderers.
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“Don’t get me wrong, I loved my time at Bolton, but leaving your boyhood club is a big call and I should have calmed down and thought it through.”
Four years after leaving Newcastle, though, Elliott had returned, with his 2001 free transfer helping him re-live the dream of playing at St. James’ Park.
“I lived every Geordie’s dream,” Elliott adds. “It’s funny how it became normal to me, spending my days at this magnificent club, surrounded by world-class footballers I idolised – Alan Shearer, Les Ferdinand, Peter Beardsley. But, in hindsight, it was crazy. Not a day goes by when I don’t think about those times.”
