Elliot Anderson looking to build on Premier League bow
Teenage midfielder Elliot Anderson speaks after receiving his Premier League Debut Ball following his top flight bow against Arsenal in January
Teenage midfielder Elliot Anderson speaks after receiving his Premier League Debut Ball following his top flight bow against Arsenal in January.
The Premier League Debut Balls initiative is in its sixth season and celebrates the achievement of homegrown players in making their first appearance in the top flight.
A Debut Ball is given to all homegrown debutants who have been developed at an Academy of a club in the English football pyramid for three years or more prior to their 21st birthday. Each player receives an official Nike match ball from the season of their debut, housed in a personalised, engraved case.
Anderson - who made his first team debut for the Magpies in an Emirates FA Cup tie against Arsenal before being handed his first Premier League appearance as a late substitute against the same opponents - is now looking to make an even bigger impact between now and the end of the campaign.
The 18-year-old hails from Whitley Bay and his grandfather, Geoff Allen, also played for Newcastle United in the 1960s.
Launched in 2015/16, the Debut Balls initiative underlines the Premier League's ongoing commitment to develop more and better homegrown players through its Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP).