Anderson's journey to England star and potential British record

Anderson, who played 55 times in all competitions for Newcastle United, made his debut in an FA Cup defeat against Arsenal in January 2021 before joining Bristol Rovers on loan a year later. It was here that he completed a vital part of his education - while also figuring in what might still be the most remarkable match of his career. Former Republic of Ireland international Glenn Whelan was player coach at Bristol Rovers, and vividly remembering the impact the confident "but never arrogant" Anderson made in the west country. He told BBC Sport: "He just came into the building and showed his potential straight away. Nothing seemed to faze him. You could see straight away this boy was different. "As the coach, there were certain scenarios in training when I tried to put him under a little pressure. Some kids would be a little bit more reserved and fall back. Elliot was right on the front foot. He took the bull by the horns." And the date 5 February 2022 was one of significance in Anderson's development, as recalled by Whelan: "We were away to Sutton United. They were doing well and were a proper men's team with a lot of grit. Some of the coaching team were a little wary of throwing him in against them. "We were losing at half-time and I basically said 'we need to get this lad on because he's a game-changer.' He came on and made an impact. He won a penalty and we drew. …