ROBBIE Elliott believes he is joining a club on the up.

The Wanderers new boy likened his new club to Newcastle just before the Geordies rose to power in the early 90s.

A look around the magnificent new £35 million Reebok Stadium was enough to convince him that switching from mighty Newcastle, where he was a regular last season, to Premiership newcomers Bolton was the right move.

"I really think I'm joining an ambitious club," he said today.

"In a lot of ways it reminds me of the buzz that surrounded Newcastle when we got promoted and the stadium was being refurbished.

"Everything I have heard since I met the gaffa and chairman has been positive and that positive energy has had an immediate impact on me."

The versatile 23-year-old learned of the Wanderers interest on his return from holiday.

"My agent told me that Bolton had made an offer," he recalled. "And from that point on I just sat waiting to have confirmation of whether the bid was being accepted or not.

"It obviously hurts a little to be leaving Newcastle which has been a major part of my life and I have had some fantastic highs there and just a few lows.

"At the end of the day it was taken out of my hands. Newcastle accepted the bid and once that happens you have to look forward."

He added: "I can't wait to meet my new team-mates and it will be great to team up with Alan Thompson and Scott Sellars again.

"It will be quite an emotional occasion for me and my family when we play at St James' on January 17th.

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