Newcastle Keeper Rob Elliot Explains Why Toon Players Decided to Cancel Their Own Christmas Party

Newcastle goalkeeper Rob Elliot has told the Daily Mirror how the club's alarming slide down the Premier League table led the players to cancel their own Christmas party.

The Magpies had made a promising start on their return to the top flight, but have lost eight of their last nine games to slip from seventh to 18th and are without a league win since October. 

31-year-old Elliot spoke of the team's decline into the drop zone and why it led to the players cancelling their Christmas party.

Regarding the cancellation of the party, he said: "It was a decision that we made because it’s not right to go out and celebrate. I think there are more important things to worry about." 

The Magpies keeper spoke more about the club's situation, saying: "We are there because we have lost the last eight out of nine, so you can’t say ‘Oh, we’ve been unlucky.’ It’s tough. I don’t think result have always reflected how we have played. But you don’t lose eight games without playing badly. You have to take it on the chin, keep working hard."

Newcastle face some crucial league games in the coming weeks against the teams around them at the bottom of the table with fixtures against West Ham, Brighton, Stoke and Swansea, as well as Manchester City also to come on Boxing day.