Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Rob Elliot knows a thing or two about winning at Bournemouth as Eddie Howe's side prepare to take on the Cherries later this afternoon. Back in 2015, the Republic of Ireland international was handed an opportunity to stake his claim as the Magpies number one, after Tim Krul ruptured his cruciate ligament and was ruled out for the season.
A squad player, by his own admission, Elliot says his performance on the road at the Vitality Stadium in November that year, helped transform his black and white career. Ayoze Perez would score on the counter to give Steve McClaren's side the lead in the first-half while Elliot would produce a string of saves to keep the Cherries at bay and wrap up the three points.
Speaking exclusively to Chronicle Live, Elliot said: "It was a bit of a turning point for me because I was always a squad goalie and I felt like I had the opportunity to be number one. Every time I went in, it was in the cup and the team would change and it was a lot weaker.
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"Sometimes I felt like my performances, we played Southampton away and I pulled off some of the best saves I've ever made, but we lost 4-0 so no one really cares. Whereas that game, everything really came together.
"I wouldn't say I did anything unbelievable that game it was just I had a lot of things to do, lots of crosses, loads of saves. I don't think any of the saves were anything that you would class as outstanding but they had to be made and it all just sort of came together.
"I had a good impact and I think Ayoze scored on the break to win 1-0. I think that probably allowed me to get the team reward as well as the individual reward."
Elliot would make 23 appearances in all competitions that season, but an anterior cruciate ligament injury picked up on international duty with the Republic of Ireland would bring an end to his time as number one.
"I played every game until March," he added. "I was loving it, but picked up an injury and that's life, these things happen but I felt like I - at least when I look back at Newcastle obviously I would have loved to have played more and been there longer - but at least I had that season where I proved my worth and showed what I could do.
"I was a Premier League number one for a period of time and other things in life get in the way like injuries or other goalies coming in, managers not liking you, whatever that might be - it's not really important, but at least I had that period to prove myself and go from squad keeper to number one."
Elliot lined up against some familiar faces that day, with Howe in the dugout and Matt Ritchie in the starting line-up. Having picked up man-of the-match against the Cherries in a smash-and-grab win, the former Newcastle shot-stopper says it's no surprise to see Howe doing so well, after a busy afternoon between the sticks.
He said: "Honestly, I might've said it before and it sounds easy to say now, I thought when the club got taken over he was the perfect person to come in. With his teams, you know they're going to be intense, hard working, positive on the front foot.
"Callum [Wilson] was upfront for Bournemouth [at the time] and Matt Ritchie was playing for them as well. You know exactly what you're going to get from his team - obviously he's developed as a coach.
"Tactically and technically Newcastle - you could argue there are better players - but I don't think that takes away from the tactical side and technical side [of Howe's work]. You know what you're getting as opposition, you're in for a really tough game.
"What I love about Eddie Howe's style of play is the fact that he doesn't just overpass it or overstimulate, it's percentage football along with aggressive passing out, playing out, but if there's a chance to cross it and play forward, they try and effect the goal as much as possible.
"It makes it really hard to stop. If you stop them going through the middle, they'll go wide and cross it. Stop the crosses and they'll go over the top, they'll just keep going and going.
"It's the same as his Bournemouth team and every time we played them we were always in for a tough day and it was a busy day as a goalkeeper."
Elliot, who is now Technical Director at Gateshead FC is relishing his new role with the National League side. He said: "It's good, really good. It's very different but it's much more stimulating and there are a lot of challenges with this season.
"You feel like you make a huge difference, everything you get, everything you can make has a much bigger impact on the club financially. You feel like you can make more of a difference."
It's been a tough adjustment to like back in the National League after winning the National League North title last season, combined with losing their two top scorers in Macauley Langstaff and Cedwyn Scott. The Heed have been blighted by injuries, so much so that Elliot himself was named as an outfield player on the bench to face Stevenage in the FA Cup back in November.
"I think it just comes down to us being really unlucky with injuries," Elliot said. "We had a huge two or three months where we had five or six first-team players out and we were struggling to put players on the bench. I was on the bench as an outfield player against Stevenage, that's how desperate it was, in case we needed to make five subs.
"Luckily I didn't have to come on the pitch and embarrass myself. That's all it is really is getting the lads back fit and obviously just adapting to the different level. There's a big difference to the Conference North and this level.
"A lot of these lads, it's a new exposure to them and we're getting the balance right but the way we play, the way Mike [Williamson] and Busted [Ian Watson, Gateshead assistant manager] set the team up, we will come good and we're only just about halfway through the season where it's all about learning and developing.
"The lads have an unbelievable mentality but it's just the belief that they can be successful at this level. There's a big jump, you've got Wrexham and their star striker is probably on more than our entire squad or club generates - it's ridiculous.
"But, it is what it is you can't change that. We've been naïve, we've been unlucky and poor. You're not at the bottom of the league because there haven't been times we could be better. Overall, I think it's been a real positive season.
"The adversity we've had to go through, the injuries in the squad, it's a testament to the mentality of Mike, Busted and the boys because they've stuck with it and believed in the process. We haven't come away from our principles and we've gone toe-to-toe with Wrexham and Notts County.
"Football-wise, we're one of the best footballing teams in the league and we just have to have that belief and keep going with it. We learn each week and it's a new level for a lot of us.
"I've been on the bench a few times and I haven't had to play, luckily Dan Langley did brilliant, James Montgomery is a top goalie and Filip Marschall has come back who's a top prospect. I'm just resting the body at the moment and ready to play as and when needed.
"The gloves definitely haven't been hung up I'm enjoying training. I don't want to take any of the opportunities from the lads who want to develop and we're here for them, you can never say never in football."
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