Simon Francis has a big future at AFCB

It's a busy period at AFCB this January and to hear that Simon Francis has signed a new three-an-a-half year deal can only be good for him and the club. There had been some interest last season from Derby in the Bournemouth defender but it has been a period of late when Simon has been able to get his head down and find his feet in a new position at centre back while also captaining the team.

Simon Francis signs a new deal at AFCB.

The only disappointment with him moving to centre back has been that we have not seen so many of those roving runs that he is used to making up the right wing and I suppose as fans we have to weigh that against the pleasing performances of Adam Smith who surely has merited his ace in the team for the last 11 or more games now. Considering that Simon had not played many matches with Steve Cook at centre half before this season except on the training pitch, it has been a good find to see Simon fit in so well and help the team get a couple of clean sheets.

I get the impression that we might not see Simon fill the right back position so much in the future. He has made the transition that well and with Sylvain Distin expected to be leaving in the summer there is room for Simon to take one of the centre back positions. 

Today we also heard that Elliott Ward, another of the club's centre backs, has moved on to Blackburn Rovers after his contract was mutually agreed to be terminated.