davidwhitehead
Fans' Favourite
By late January, AFCB was a shambles. Graeme Jones couldn't wait to get away, the squad appeared to be disjointed and fractious, Jason Tindall was flailing around incoherently with increasing desperation, and results on the pitch went from bad to worse.
Into this chaos stepped Jonathan Woodgate as the new No. 2, a man with a less than impressive managerial pedigree, yet within a matter of days, following yet another disastrous home defeat, Tindall was sacked and Woodgate was in charge.
Few of us Cherries fans greeted Woodgate's arrival with enthusiasm. Most of us were already resigned to the season petering out, missing out on the play-offs and seeing the squad disintegrate in summer.
In terms of personal style, Woodgate could hardly have been more different to Tindall. Whereas Tindall always had a touch of Cockney flash about him, Woodgate was down-to-earth, no-nonsense Yorkshireness personified. Tindall was given to long rambling statements, Woodgate was terse - dour, even.
Quietly, Woodgate got down to work, and after a bumpy start, he began to slowly forge a new AFCB identity. The team seemed more settled, in particular, Billing and Danjuma began to perform consistently to their potential, and AFCB looked like a happier team. Players remembered how to smile and celebrate goals again. There was a renewed sense of purpose.
And now, here we are in mid-April in a position that few of us could have imagined just a few short weeks ago. Five wins on the trot, firmly back in the play-off positions, and charging towards the season's conclusion on a wave of optimism.
So, well done Jonathan Woodgate, and well done to the two guys you brought in, Gary O'Neill and Joe Jordan. You took a club that seemed to be falling apart back from the brink - and we are serious contenders once again.
Cheers Jonathan, you're doing great.
Into this chaos stepped Jonathan Woodgate as the new No. 2, a man with a less than impressive managerial pedigree, yet within a matter of days, following yet another disastrous home defeat, Tindall was sacked and Woodgate was in charge.
Few of us Cherries fans greeted Woodgate's arrival with enthusiasm. Most of us were already resigned to the season petering out, missing out on the play-offs and seeing the squad disintegrate in summer.
In terms of personal style, Woodgate could hardly have been more different to Tindall. Whereas Tindall always had a touch of Cockney flash about him, Woodgate was down-to-earth, no-nonsense Yorkshireness personified. Tindall was given to long rambling statements, Woodgate was terse - dour, even.
Quietly, Woodgate got down to work, and after a bumpy start, he began to slowly forge a new AFCB identity. The team seemed more settled, in particular, Billing and Danjuma began to perform consistently to their potential, and AFCB looked like a happier team. Players remembered how to smile and celebrate goals again. There was a renewed sense of purpose.
And now, here we are in mid-April in a position that few of us could have imagined just a few short weeks ago. Five wins on the trot, firmly back in the play-off positions, and charging towards the season's conclusion on a wave of optimism.
So, well done Jonathan Woodgate, and well done to the two guys you brought in, Gary O'Neill and Joe Jordan. You took a club that seemed to be falling apart back from the brink - and we are serious contenders once again.
Cheers Jonathan, you're doing great.