Is it important not to get above our station?

So the fixtures are out. It's Aston Villa first up and then another 37 games to follow - I bet like me you can't wait! We know what the Cherries have to do. Yet, doing well in the Premier League requires a lot of good planning and every team has to be respected. AFCB have no need to hurry to achieve more than to do their best in the Premier League and every game will be like a cup final, so mistakes are going to be highlighted and it is important as supporters that we stay well behind the team and be realistic. Every team wants to better what they have done before and staying positive will be crucial.

I was interested in what Gary Monk of Swansea City said when interviewed at the League Managers Award ceremony evening at the end of May. While he acknowledged that his side needed to bring in better players each year he was clear that he was in no hurry to scale the top of the Premier League. It was gradual progression that he was after and I hope that AFCB supporters are equally patient as we head into a new season.

Winning is great, but can we stay modest too if the team continues does well?

The team facing AFCB now are not only backed by large investment and bigger crowds. They have top managers and big reputations and won’t give in lightly to young upstarts that have come to join in their party where the riches are the biggest anywhere in the world. Every point is going to be hard earned and every point gained is going to be with lots of money. We can’t expect too much from the players at the start in August. It will be frantic, high on adrenalin and a wonderful atmosphere at Dean Court but the pace and quality of the football may just take our breath away.

If the points do come quick and fast early on though then it will be important that everyone stays calm. The same is true if the club gets off to a poor start and has to play catch up. While the club motto is ‘Anything is possible’, there has to be some realism in the club and what it can do going forward. To finish above the relegated places would be a great achievement. There is time to build further and to move higher up the league if the team can survive in 2015-16 without missing out on the new lucrative deal for the Premier League clubs through the TV rights.

Getting to May and still being a Premier League club at the end of it next year will be an even bigger achievement than what Eddie Howe has probably done since leading the club from the foot of League Two to the Premier League. Jeff Mostyn called Eddie "the local messiah" and he has worked miracles at AFCB, but this is now on another level and we must give Eddie as much time to him as we can to help him achieve the best results he can for the club. 

Just an end thought for AFCB fans. If you thought Swansea City are a solid Premier League side that are exciting to watch, guess who come bottom of the poll for early spots on Match of the Day? Yep, Swansea were top billing just twice and 10 appearances in the bottom slot!