WADE Elliott was today desperate to impress against Southampton - the club that rejected him as a boy.
And former Liverpool and Saints midfielder Jimmy Case is eager to see the progress his former Bashley protege has made since joining Burnley.
Case, now a radio summariser in Hampshire, gave Elliott his debut at Bashley in 1999, a few years after his release from Southampton.
He later helped Elliott get a leg up in the game at Bournemouth. And the 1980s Anfield ace, who was rejected by Burnley as a two-week trial as a youngster, insisted: "It's no surprise that Wade has done as well as he has.
"His tackling ability and close ball control was excelent and he could also cross and shoot with either foot."
It was February 2000 that Elliott was finally handed the chance to impress at Bournemouth, where he eventually caught Steve Cotterill's eye.
"He's always been a very enthusiastic and tough character with a sensible head on his shoulders and I'm still often thanked by Bournemouth fans for recommending Wade to them."
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