ROBBIE Elliott is looking forward to something he hasn't been used to very often as a Wanderer - an extended run in the team.

Hit hard by injuries and switched between midfield and defence he is finally hoping for a settled spell.

Last Tuesday night's victory over Queen's Park Rangers was memorable on two counts for the Geordie. Wanderers won for the first time with him in the starting line-up and he scored a scorching 25-yard volley - with his weaker foot!

Elliott is no stranger to injuries since arriving at Wanderers in a record £2.5m deal three years ago. A broken leg and hernia problems sidelined him for lengthy periods and a groin injury kept him out all season until he returned eight games ago.

Sam Allardyce eased him back gently with two games on the bench before he returned to the starting line-up.

Two defeats and two draws were followed by that victory over QPR which saw him switch position from midfield to left back to plug the gap left by Simon Charlton's hamstring injury.

The move highlighted a versatility he has shown throughout his career and one which is of special benefit to Wanderers with the current squad stripped to the bone.

He said: "Fitness-wise I feel fine now.

"This was my fifth start and the more games I play the better I will feel.

"Any professional footballer just wants to play and I'm no different. After being out it's good to be back playing again and now it looks like I am going to get the opportunity to have a run at left back because of Simon's injury.

"If you had asked me three years ago I would have said my favourite position was left back but I couldn't say for sure now.

"I have played in midfield and when you switch to left back it can take a bit of getting used to on the positional side etc."

Embellishing on his manager's statement that Elliott doesn't score many 25-yard volleys with his right foot, he added: "It's actually my second like that. I got another at Norwich for Bolton just like it.

"It was the only thing on my mind when I got the ball and it was great to see it go in because we needed a goal to calm us down.

"We had a chat after the Crystal Palace game and we knew wherer we went wrong in that game.

"We knew we had not been performing to the best of our ability but we know we have everything to play for."