Can AFCB emulate what Burnley have already achieved?

Comparing Burnley with AFCB is only natural with the close ties that have been established between the clubs in recent years. Burnley is a provincial town with a good Championship side at the top of its game and their home crowds are not so disimilar to Bournemouth's in size. But they are a good model for AFCB to try and work towards and luckily Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall have a lot of the inside knowledge on what has helped Burnley to become a strong force in the Championship.

While AFCB might not be able to pull some of the players that Burnley have in their current side, Eddie will have a very good idea of how they play which is similar in style to AFCB's passing game. The big difference is their front strike force, but I would imagine that Eddie Howe will want AFCB to establish something similar for next season if not before.

When you look at the big cities in this league you have to take your hat off to Burnley because they are over achieving in many peoples' eyes. To me though they are being well run and managed and show just what can be achieved with players that give their all and want to succeed against the odds. The team spirit and hunger that Burnley's players show is something that I already see in Bournemouth's squad and with some luck and hard work I believe that Eddie Howe's dream of contending for the top places in the Championship will gradually start to happen if he can keep the squad together.

Burnley are a good blueprint for AFCB and they have proved that it is not only the teams with 25,000-30,000 supporters that can challenge for top honours in the Championship.


Mascot shirt request
Finally, I have been contacted by an AFC Bournemouth supporter whose son is to be a mascot at the AFCB v Doncaster game on 1 March 2014. Alexander is aged 7 and needs to borrow an AFCB junior replica shirt to be able to be the mascot, but the club shop has sold out. If you have a son or daughter of that age who has a spare shirt or could let Alexander borrow it for the day on 1 March please email me at bellp2103@gmail.com and I will put you in contact with Alexander's family. The family live in Worthing so perhaps you would need to be able to meet up and hand over the shirt over early on the morning of 1 March.