Elliot Anderson believes his loan spell at Bristol Rovers was the "best thing" for his career, making memories to last a lifetime, but he is now focused on winning a place in Newcastle United's first-team squad.
The 19-year-old is in Austria preparing for pre-season friendlies against German sides 1860 Munich and Mainz 05 in the coming days before the Magpies travel to Portugal to face Benfica later this month. His sensational stint with the Gas has earned him the right to compete for a place in Eddie Howe's squad ahead of the new Premier League season.
Anderson joined on deadline day in January and had a transformative effect on Rovers' season. The teenager made the left flank his own and he delivered seven goals and six assists in his 20 starts, which included several-match winning performances.
And it was his late goal on the final day – Rovers' seventh against a sorry Scunthorpe United – that lifted Joey Barton's side ahead of Northampton Town and into the League Two promotion places on goals scored. His header at the back post to make it 7-0 on May 7 has cemented Anderson's place in Gas history and he reflects on his time in blue and white with pride.
"I think it was probably the best thing I could have done, to be honest," he told Newcastle's club website. "I thought I performed pretty well and I got goals, which was the main thing for me. I had good performances to start with and didn't get any, but it was one of my aims to get the goals and they finally started to come in.
"I got one and then I was like, 'Right, now's the time'. They just started coming. Naturally, I was in the right positions - I played higher up on the left wing after a few games, and I started getting into better positions from there."
Anderson had been in sensational form in the build-up to the Scunthorpe game, scoring match-winning goals against Colchester United and Salford City in the run-in. Rovers needed to win by a margin five goals better than Northampton on the final day and he recalls feeling it would be an unlikely task.
"Quite a lot of people said we'd do it," he said. "I remember someone saying they had a funny feeling we'd win by seven - I remember him saying it. I was thinking, 'I wish'.
"It was crazy. We had a left-winger at left-back, and right-winger at right-back, and then wingers in the winger spots so we just went all-out attack. It was quite a lot to do, really, but we believed in each other.
"At half time, in my head, I thought, 'it's a bit tough to do, that' - we had to score five more. But everyone kept trying, kept going. Chasing that final goal, we knew we just needed one more."
With the Gas carving Scunthorpe's callow defence open at will and Northampton's lead reduced to 3-1 by Barrow, it seemed inevitable that the Gas would triumph. It would be the Scotland under-21 international who had the chance to write the finale of an epic promotion tale when he lined up Antony Evans' hanging cross at the back post.
"I just thought, 'I have to hit the target - this is the last five minutes, I can't miss this'," he recalled.
"I was just praying that it would come. I've jumped up at the back stick and got it in, and the stadium just erupted. I can't really remember what happened to be honest but I remember being on the floor, in the celebration, with fans all over.
"It was a great day, for my family as well, and one I'll remember all my life. Now I've got to push on for the next moment like that."
Anderson will do well to produce another moment of such high drama and delirium in what promises to be a fine career. The Gas would love for him to return on loan but there are several clubs interested, including Championship sides Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion.
Even they could miss out, with Anderson under the watchful eyes of Howe and his coaches in Austria. The geordie has a genuine chance of being involved in Premier League football next season, although he will accept if his parent club decide another loan is the best path for him.
"I've just got to try and impress as much as I can really, and do my best," he concluded. "I've got to try and compete for a place around the team and see how I can do.
"I think not trying too hard to do that (is important) - just do your stuff, and see if you catch an eye, and work as hard as you can. It's kind of like a free hit - I'll give it my best shot, and if they think I need another season out (on loan), I'm happy to do that. Whatever's best for me.
"I'd say for me, probably playing games is the most important thing, to be honest - carrying on my run that I have, and just trying to keep striving. Hopefully that's here, or if it's somewhere else on loan, I'll be giving it my all."
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