Sports writer Will Scott spoke to Newcastle's forgotten man Robbie Elliott about spending his Saturdays at the Wacky Warehouse; the class of 1990-1991; his reluctant transfer to Bolton and his future in the game.

Robbie Elliott jetted off to Athens yesterday for Newcastle United's first UEFA Cup group game against Greek minnows Panionios revealing his weekends are a lot more appealing than they used to be.

Elliott gave yet another uncompromising display on Sunday in United's 1-1 draw at Charlton - something Toon fans have now come to expect from their rejuvenated full-back turned centre-half.

The 30-year-old's 18-month absence from the United starting line-up has been well documented, but considering the ease with which Elliott has slotted back into the United back four it makes you wonder if the fans' favourite was doing a spot of moonlighting for another side.

He said: "My weekends were a bit embarrassing really. I remember walking around town shopping with my kids or I would be in the Wacky Warehouse. I used to get funny looks off people wondering what I was doing there. I would then get a goal report on my mobile phone, and I'm thinking: 'what am I doing here on a Saturday'?

"Don't get me wrong, it's fantastic being with my kids but on a Saturday afternoon I should be playing football.

"My eldest son used to see me play football at Bolton and he's a massive football fan and they are ecstatic I'm back in the team.

"I'm sure Max, my middle child, probably didn't even know I was a footballer. I kept showing him pictures but he wasn't having it.

"But they all come to the games and you could have knocked them over when I was made captain that night against (Hapoel Bnei) Sakhnin.

"You just get forgotten when you're not playing. But when I got back in against Middlesbrough people were stopping in their cars, when they saw me walking along the street, winding their windows down and saying it was good to see me back.

"It's soul-destroying when you're not playing especially when you don't know what you've done wrong, you're not injured, you train every day and you have nothing to show at the end of the week. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

"I never thought I'd ever get back in the team. I honestly thought I'd played my last game for Newcastle.

"There were plenty of opportunities to put me in the side but I was getting overlooked and startting to wonder why I was here.

"I have been very busy doing my sports science degree at the University of Northumbria, and my wife and three kids have kept my feet on the ground.

"We have a business set up selling children's clothes, which keeps us very busy as well and I haven't had a lot of time to mope around; although my wife tells me differently.

"I wasn't completely out of the picture under Bobby Robson because I was on the bench for the last 15 games of last season but I was never going to get that starting place I wanted.

"I had asked Bobby on numerous occasions what I had done wrong but he couldn't tell me why I was dropped.

"I had played 37 games, we were second in the League and in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and I didn't play again.

"I seemed to be coming in and doing training on a Friday and then wishing the lads all the best as they travelled off for a game.

"I just stuck in and things have completely flipped and it's fantastic to be back."

Elliott is the only player left at the club from the famous class of 1990-1991. Steve Watson, Steve Howey, Lee Clark and Alan Thompson are just five of the ten teenagers who made their debuts under either Jim Smith or Ossie Ardiles.

The Gosforth-born defender frequently keeps in touch with his former team-mates, and despite his recent setback and a career blighted by serious injury he says he would not swap places with any of them.

"I wouldn't change anything that I have done in my career.

"I had four fantastic years at Bolton if you take the broken leg out of the equation.

"We've all had our ups and downs but it's good that we've all made our mark in football.

"We still keep in touch and in the last two weeks I've seen both Steve Watson and Alan Thompson. I still speak to Steve Howey, who is playing in America.

"It is hard to keep in touch but it is nice when we bump into each other and have a chat.

"They were all pleased for me when I returned to the club but on the other hand they were all massively jealous, and rightly so.

"The chance to come back was impossible to turn down and although it hasn't worked out perfectly for the last couple of years it's going well again now so it was worth the wait."

Elliott revealed he had no intention of leaving the club in the first place but his destiny was decided for him.

He and team-mate Les Ferdinand joined former boss Kevin Keegan as victims of United's decision to float the club on the stock exchange in 1996.

The Magpies board initially said it was essential the club became a plc so they could raise the funds to compete with the very best in Europe. In reality little money was forthcoming and Ferdinand, Elliott and Clark were sold to make way for a string of no-hopers and has-beens.

He said: "It was a shock to leave Newcastle at the time and it came out of the blue because I saw Kenny (Daglish) at the airport when I returned from my holiday in Portugal and he asked me if I was coming in to discuss my new contract.

"I said I would love to. But when I returned home there was a message on the answer phone saying a fee had been agreed with Bolton.

"It happened far too quick for me personally as the deal was all done within a week.

"Apparently it was the plc who sold myself, Lee Clark and Les Ferdinand in that summer, not the manager.

"When I asked him he said he knew nothing about it.

"If I had my time again I would take a bit more time over it but it wasn't the worst move I could have made. I learned a lot while I was at Bolton and made a lot of friends."

As for the immediate future, Elliott hopes to sign a new contract and finish his playing days at Newcastle. After that he plans to remain in the game but says he has no aspirations to be a football manager.

He said: "I would like to sign a new deal if possible and stay here, but who knows because it looked out of the water at one point.

"I think I have another good few years in me. I missed a couple of years early on in my career through injury - which was a nightmare - but it gave me an opportunity to train and change my body shape, get stronger and I know how to play and train properly now.

"With my sports science degree I know what you need to do training-wise and I think I am as fit now as I have ever been.

"When I broke my leg at Bolton I had time to sit down and think what I was doing wrong and everything changed from there really.

"The degree will hopefully lead to me being a fitness coach.

"Management does not particularly interest me. I have a coaching badge and I didn't particularly enjoy it. I get much more enjoyment from the fitness side. When I was injured I spent a lot of time in the gym and I learned a lot, so I may as well put it to good use. If I can stay in football doing that side of it then fantastic."