Joey Barton says Newcastle have a 19-year-old who’s so good, he’d pay to watch him play

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Newcastle United loanee Elliot Anderson has been making a real name for himself away from St James’ Park this year.

The 19-year-old is one of the brightest talents to have come through the Magpies academy in recent years.

Anderson left Newcastle on deadline day to link up with Bristol Rovers until the end of the season.

And so far, the Magpies prodigy has done superbly.

Anderson has made 12 appearances for the League Two side, registering three goals and two assists.

The Newcastle talent got his goal contribution tally underway with an assist in a 2-0 win over Sutton on 15 February.

Four days later, Anderson scored the first league goal of his career – and got an assist – in a 4-0 win over Stevenage.

He then got his second goal in last weekend’s 3-0 win over Harrogate.

Anderson followed that up with another effort as Rovers ran out 1-0 winners over Colchester on Tuesday.

The win over the U’s saw the Pirates move into the playoff places for the first time this season.

“I’d have paid to watch him, he was that good,” Barton told BBC Radio Bristol.

“I think to get the goal early in the second half just caps a wonderful individual performance, but also a young player growing into the shirt.

“We’re delighted to have him.”

As exciting as Maradona?

Barton then spoke of Anderson “certainly excites you” in the same way a 19-year-old Diego Maradona excited legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly.

“I’ve been listening a lot to Bill Shankly in the last couple of days,” said Barton.

“He talks about a 19-year-old Diego Maradona and he’s talking about how good of a player he thinks he’s going to be.

“And he compares him to Tom Finney. He says Tom Finney is the greatest player he’s ever seen.

“When I see young Billy Elliot [Anderson], it’s far too early to compare him to those greats over the years, but he certainly excites you.”