The Cherries sign up Lee Camp - it's official

There was no more welcome news this morning than waking up to the report on AFCB's official website that Lee Camp has signed a two and a half year deal with the Cherries. I can't think of a better New Year present for AFCB fans who saw Lee make some spectacular saves in the recent Brighton game and who has performed admirably during his 11 loan matches at the club.

Lee Camp warms up before Ipswich game. 

Now that Lee is on the Cherries books I hope he can keep up those high standards. He very quickly picked up the way Eddie Howe likes to have the team playing and has given a lot of confidence to the defence. At 29 he is a good age for a keeper and should be the No1 for the foreseeable future. AFCB really needed a top class proven keeper to stabilise their aim to stay in the Championship. This signing is a very big statement from the owners that they are fully behind Eddie Howe and can give him what he needs to keep the club in the Championship.

Lee was on loan from West Bromwich Albion who could have tried to resign him but Lee always said that Bournemouth would have the first chance to sign him. The timing of the news is a bit of a shock, but as Lee Camp became a free agent after 1 January and Howe would have had to move quickly to secure Lee who was being watched by other teams. This should also give the AFCB players another lift as they go into their FA Cup tie today as they will have become good friends with Lee and can now expect him to help their league campaign and future FA Cup games if they can progress.