AFC Bournemouth wouldn't be where they are without Eddie Howe. Eddie Howe wouldn't be where he is without AFC Bournemouth. The man and the club have shared one hell of a history over the past three decades, so much so Howe was awarded the freedom of the borough in 2019, but Saturday's game between Newcastle United and the Cherries sees Howe come up against his old club for the first time as a manager.
A great chunk of Howe’s career in football has been spent with Bournemouth. He was a youth player for the club before turning professional in 1994. He spent eight years at Dean Court before being signed by former Cherries boss Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth. He returned in 2004, originally on loan before sealing a permanent move that same year and spent the final three years back in the place where he felt at home.
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After he hung up his boots, he spent two spells in charge of Bournemouth, between 2008-2011 and 2012-2020, overseeing a total of 457 games, boasting a win percentage of 42.6%. He had a stint with Burnley in between but it was clear that his affinity with the south coast club was too strong and within two years of first waving goodbye, like the Terminator often promised, he was back.
When the 44-year-old first took command of Bournemouth, they were a relegation-threatened League Two side, but a club with ambitions... ambitions which he helped them achieve in an incredibly short period of time. He guided the club to League One in 2009-10, then to the Championship three years later (bearing in mind his 22 months away from the club in between, this made his accomplishments that more special).
Eddie Howe says his former Bournemouth club are still in his heart.
After one season of settling into their new surroundings in the second tier, Bournemouth caught the eye of the wider audiences around the world in 2014-15 when they stormed to the Championship title and booked their place in the Premier League, the first time they had reached the pinnacle of English football.
Howe’s brand of football was swift and exciting, a vision he instilled from when he first got into management. His rise as a manager was in synchronisation with that of Bournemouth and that's what made the story that much more interesting. Everyone associated with the club was taken on a brilliant rollercoaster ride with Howe’s Cherries and once they reached the top flight, they spent five seasons amongst the best in the country.
The synergy at Bournemouth was perfect, the staff and the fans all got behind the project and it paid dividends. The supporters loved Howe and he in turn loved them. It has come as no surprise to them seeing their former boss turning fortunes around at Newcastle and transforming them into top-six contenders overnight. He is surrounded by memories of his glorious time with Bournemouth, with former Cherries Callum Wilson, Ryan Fraser and Matt Ritchie now under his guidance once again with the Magpies.
The match itself is going to certainly be a sentimental one for the two-time Bournemouth boss and the travelling faithful, and there is sure to be a mutual appreciation between the two parties at St James’ Park on Saturday. He touched upon the reunion in his pre-match press conference, saying: "I personally feel a huge sense of gratitude to the club and everyone connected with it. I wouldn't be sat here now if it wasn't for AFC Bournemouth. We'll be competing to win the game and are desperate to do so but it will be a special game for us."
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