Yahoo News Nottingham Forest signing loves his surreal Diego Maradona chant sparked by Joey Barton
Nottingham Forest’s newest signing Elliot Anderson was once, rather surreally, compared to Diego Maradona.
The midfielder, who has joined the Reds from Newcastle United on a five-year deal, was on loan at Bristol Rovers from Newcastle back in 2022 when manager Joey Barton made the unexpected comparison. “I’ve been listening to Bill Shankley tapes a lot,” said Barton.
“He talked a lot about a 19-year-old Diego Maradona and how he slows down in the penalty area, exactly like Elliot Anderson does. (He is) such a talent.”
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Barton’s comments gave birth to the nickname the ‘Geordie Maradona’ which has stuck with the player ever since, on his return to Newcastle.
“I love it,” said Anderson, speaking last year. “I think it first started when I was on loan and then I came back to Newcastle and I was thinking will it stick or not? It has, to be fair, yeah it’s brilliant, but obviously I’m just trying to do my own thing I guess, but it’s good to have that chant.”
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has also described Anderson as “an outstanding player. “He’s improving all the time,” he said in April. “We really rate him, and we feel there is so much more to come. But he is certainly growing into that position and starting to look really assured.”
