They were two moments that clearly meant a great deal. After Eljero Elia fired Southampton into a 14th-minute lead at Newcastle United on Saturday night, be made a beeline for Ronald Koeman and gave his new boss a warm embrace.

And after scoring the deflected goal that earned the Saints all three points at St James' Park, he leaped joyously into the air, spun and did that Cristiano Ronaldo thing of flexing his muscles.

This was the measure of a man grateful for another opportunity to prove his talents, grateful for a change of scenery, a fresh challenge and a little bit of faith shown in his undoubted abilities.

Eljero Elia celebrates after his goals helped Southampton to a 2-1 win at Newcastle United on Saturday

Elia made a beeline to his manager Ronald Koeman after opening the scoring in the 14th minute at Newcastle

Elia embraced his compatriot Koeman after giving Southampton the lead

The winger jumps for joy after scoring what proved to be the winning goal on Tyneside

ELIA'S CAREER 2004-2007 ADO Den Haag (59 appearances, 6 goals) 2007-2009 Twente (73 appearances, 15 goals) 2009-2011 Hamburg (63 appearances, 8 goals) 2011-2012 Juventus (5 appearances, 0 goals) 2012- Werder Bremen (68 appearances, 4 goals) 2014-2015 Southampton (on loan, 2 appearances, 2 goals) 2009- Holland (27 appearances, 2 goals) Advertisement

Elia, a 27-year-old Dutch winger, certainly comes with a bit of a chequered past and a bad-boy reputation. Werder Bremen, the Bundesliga club who loaned him to Southampton this month, were glad to see the back of him.

But his double at Newcastle, which returned Southampton to third place in the Premier League, suggests that all this trouble could be behind him.

Elia was certainly very humble in his post-match interview: 'I want to thank first my team-mates and trainer and chairman. They have trusted me, they gave me the chance to play for Southampton.

'The feeling for the first goal was like a dream come true. The second was like i don't feel nothing in my body. I was so happy.'

When asked why he ran straight for Koeman after his firm, low first-half strike found its way under the body of goalkeeper Tim Krul, he replied: 'I wanted to thank him that he gave me the chance to play for Southampton.

'He was the only one that believed in me. The players have helped me from the first moment. The captain (Jose Fonte) speaks a lot with me. I'm so happy.'

Elia certainly looked chuffed and a new chapter in his life and career has been started.

His story began at local side ADO Den Haag, whom he joined as a nine-year-old and made his professional debut for in 2004 at the age of 17.

Elia playing for his first club, ADO Den Haag, as a teenager back in 2006

Elia in action for Den Haag during an Eredivisie fixture with Sparta Rotterdam back in 2006

Quickly establishing himself in the first team, Elia scored six times in 59 appearances for them before friction between himself and new coach Lex Schoenmaker pushed him to the exit door.

There was talk Ajax wanted to sign him but the Amsterdam side wanted to loan him straight back to Den Haag, by then a second division side, and back into conflict with Schoenmaker.

He joined Twente instead and found some of his best from under Steve McClaren, scoring 15 times in 73 outings for the club in his two seasons there.

While at Twente, Elia was given his first taste of Champions League and Europa League football and became a fixture in the Holland Under 21 team.

Named the Dutch Football Talent of the Year in 2009, there were again suggestions Ajax and PSV Eindhoven were interested in signing him but his next move would take him over the border to Germany.

Again, it wasn't without controversy. Amid all the speculation of a move to one of Holland's big clubs, Elia signed a two-year contract extension at Twente. Two months later, he announced he wanted to leave at the end of the season.

Elia battles for the ball with Manchester City defender Micah Richards during a 2008 Europa League tie

ELIA'S MISDEMEANOURS 2011 - Before his move to Juventus, Elia was fined by Hamburg for complaining that the club hadn't looked after him following an ankle operation. 2013 - Caught speeding at 3am alongside now Stoke midfielder Marko Arnautovic. It was alleged that the pair had insulted and acted agressivley towards the police officer. 2014 - Tweets 'Ready for War' ahead of Werder Bremen vs Hamburg clash before insulting a fan of his own team via Facebook. Advertisement

Hamburg paid Twente £6.5m for his services but very little went to plan. He suffered an ankle injury in late November of his first season and missed the rest of the campaign.

In March, a poorly-applied tattoo went septic and the discomfort was so severe, Elia was unable to wear his playing and training kit.

His second season at Hamburg saw Elia becoming increasingly allergic to the club - he moaned that the playing style didn't suit him, he was rotated in and out of the team and he claimed Hamburg didn't look after him while he was recuperating from surgery on his injured ankle.

It came as little surprise, then, to see Elia sold off to Italian giants Juventus in a £7m deal in August 2011. Despite being a Holland international, he played infrequently and though he collected a Serie A winners' medal he contributed little towards it.

One of Elia's few appearances for Juventus came in a commemorative friendly against Notts County

He spent just one season with the Italian giants, appearing in just five matches and failing to score

Elia playing for Holland during a 2010 World Cup warm-up match against Hungary

Being introduced to the media as Werder Bremen's new No 11 after signing from Juventus in 2012

Inevitably, the restless Elia grew impatient and left Turin for Werder Bremen in an attempt to again revitalise his career. The Bundesliga side, great rivals of his former club Hamburg, paid £4.5m and offered a £2m salary.

He was billed as the man to fire Bremen back into European competition. In reality, they spent two and a half years battling relegation while Elia kept putting his foot in it.

In April 2013, Elia and team-mate Marko Arnautovic, now at Stoke, were caught speeding at 3am. It was later alleged that the two players had acted aggressively when stopped and insulted a police officer.

Their punishment was to spend the rest of the season training in isolation but while Arnautovic moved to Stoke, Elia decided to stay.

After failing to find the net during his first season in Bremen, there was an improvement last season, with four goals in 33 appearances.

But Elia was still proving a nuisance off the field. Before the Nordderby against former club Hamburg, he tweeeted the words 'Ready for War', a sentiment that unsurprisingly doesn't go down too well in Germany.

He later insulted a Bremen fan on Facebook, telling them to 'go f*** youself.'

By that time, Bremen were sick of the sight of him and looking to farm him out on loan. Southampton were willing to take the gamble, with the option of signing him permanently at the end of the season.

Right now, that is looking like a distinct possibility as Elia strives to put a turbulent past behind him.