Being in exalted company at the top of the league

Bournemouth fans may wonder if this is as good as it gets. Our team is sitting in seventh place in the Premier League in our fourth season in the top flight. How much better can it get? Well we might find after tomorrow's match that the Cherries are already going higher in the league and if they can stay in this part of the table then there has to be a bit of a rethink now of what could be possible in this and future seasons.

Cramped conditions at Dean Court remain the future for AFCB for the moment.

Eddie Howe always talks about expectancy levels rising and the pressure that can put on the team, but this season I don't see it as expectancy to win games. I just feel that Bournemouth fans are enjoying the moment and are genuinely surprised with what has been happening after the poor starts of previous seasons.

When you look around the squad there are some experienced heads like Simon Francis, Dan Gosling, Asmir Begovic and Josh King. That experience goes right through the heart of the team and the players that have shone for me are Ryan Fraser and David Brooks, the wide players. Lerma has been very quietly going about his business in fitting in and now that Lewis Cook is back in the team, I think fans are more confident that the Cherries have the right balance to push on.

Advertisement

Coastal Garden Buildings

I don't believe we need to worry about the fact that there are bigger and more wealthy clubs in the Premier League that should be doing better than AFCB. As an AFCB fan it's all about what our team does and if that is better than the rest then so be it. It's up to AFCB to see what they can achieve and I'm no longer nervous when the team goes out to play a Man City or an Arsenal, as I know that the Cherries can win n any given day.

What we all hoped to hear though is that something was happening with the new training ground and the stadium. Everything else about the club has been really good news. I think it is important just to keep Eddie Howe and if Bournemouth do have a great season and stay in and around the European places in exalted company, then it is the stadium that everyone from outside the club will be looking at and that small capacity. The club deserves a bigger platform and I'm sure the shareholders are aware of that.

Eddie was very open in saying that he wanted the new facilities just like the fans, but it's been decided that for the shareholders now is not the best time. It's something that is not in the fans' or Eddie Howe's control. Long term aims and a vision for the club are important though and I think success on the pitch will eventually force the club to invest further in the facilities. For the moment it is disappointing news, but let's not that affect our support for the team. UTCIAD!

AFCB - a stadium update would be nice

In the last few days I have heard from a few fans that want to hear about what is happening to the proposed new stadium in Kings Park. I kind of want to know myself as well and with the club having said they would respond once the season started they seem keen to hang on to what information they might have about a new Dean Court.

Is no news good news?

I did contacted the club and also Stadimax this week to see if I could get any information about the situation. I did get a quick reply from the club, but I'm no further forward than I was before I asked. Getting information out to the supporters is important, but this is time sensitive information and decisions are made by committee which lead to delays and no clarity until all parties agree on everything.

It would still be of great assistance to the fans if some kind of timeline could finally be given for the project or some clarity on whether it has been 'kicked in the long grass', as the Bournemouth Echo like to put it. We don't even know the potential size of the capacity that a new stadium would hold yet, even if initial estimates were for a 25,000 seat stadium. But will that include a proposal for safe standing as well? The only information we do have is that the site is expected to be where the athletics stadium is in Kings Park, which means a new site for an athletics stadium really would have to be found as well.

Advertisement

Coastal Garden Buildings

Discussions have also centred around the parking, road infrastructure and the potential of a park and ride scheme. I don't believe the project is as simple as the fans or club would like it to be. But the initial time line of a new stadium in 2020-21 is starting to look more than a little ambitious. We can only hope progress on the plans have been going on in the background. Spurs have found that a big stadium can be built in just over a year, but they still have teething issues and trial runs to do to finish their safety certificates and delays tend to go hand in hand with these things when there are not extra issues around the site.

I'm hoping this post will stir AFCB into come clean with more details on what is happening either good or bad, so that fans can hopefully have the comfort that some of the club's Premier League money is going into a new stadium for future generations and to take the club to the next level. UTCIAD!

Ted MacDougall stand is vital for AFCB

It is surprising how quickly five years have passed by since the Temporary South stand was first seen at Dean Court. The three-sided ground was always a little nervy for players to run out in front of and although AFCB's players got used to it, the wind would rip through the ground and the atmosphere is much better these days at the ground with the South stand.

Bournemouth's Ted MacDougall (south stand).

So when the club announced yesterday that the temporary stand was coming up for renewal with Bournemouth Borough Council I am hoping that there is plenty of understanding about how important the stand is for the club and of course the supporters who sit there for games in the Premier League. As long as the renewal is just a formality I guess there is nothing to worry about, but to imagine AFCB without that stand again would be quite a shock and I can't believe the Premier League would not be too impressed.

Of course, what we all really want is news on the plans for the construction of a new AFCB stadium. While there has been an indication from Neill Blake about where it is hoped it will be in Kings Park, we have not seen anything in terms of design and I'm hoping that some input can be given by the fans and that there is a bit of time for correspondence with the club so that the best solution is chosen in the end.

Advertisement

Broom Hill Garden Buildings

It si difficult to have too many voices, but we have seen how bad things can go when fans are not consulted over matters like Leeds Utd's new crest. At least we know that the South stand is a facility that AFCB want to keep and it has served the club very well as a temporary stand. It's not perfect and it's a shame that the corners could not be filled in and the ground extended, but hopefully the new stadium will be spectacular and will come well before any new contract for the temporary stand runs out.

Mobile update
We have experienced problems with the mobile version of the Cherry Chimes site so this has now been taken off line and will not resume until any bugs are fixed. In the meantime, you can still access Cherry Chimes by your mobile phones but will see the full website rather than the mobile template. Cherry Chimes is also now tweeting directly to posts again, sorry for the inconvenience of recent days.

Kings Park - to remain AFCB's home

While the athletics stadium in Kings Park had often been mentioned in passing as a potential site for the new AFCB ground, I had believed that the council would not want to lose the athletics stadium. I wouldn't expect the new football stadium plans to include an athletics track, but would imagine a lot of locals will want to know where a new athletics track would be built if AFCB's plans are accepted.

Dean Court may only move a short distance. 

The potential location of the new stadium has been well hidden from public discussion until now and the club's statement gives fresh hope that things are moving to a successful conclusion. While Kings Park is a happy historical solution, it does beg the question of transport access and parking, so it will be very intriguing to see what proposals are made and how better access to and from the ground can be made.

Advertisement

Classic Football Shirts

The date of 2020 is still on as long as planning goes smoothly and construction can start soon, but the solution would allow games to continue at Dean Curt up to when the new stadium is built. It also enables AFCB to keep the training pitches which have been a substantial outlay, so that is another bonus. I'd expect some of the shops and businesses in Boscombe and Springbourne might also be happier they can make plans knowing where the ground is likely to be.

I'm sure that AFCB will do their best to paint the positives, but there will be lots of negotiations yet. The best news is that the club is making progress. What ever solution is made, it won't please everyone. But it is great to hear that the council want to support the club and recognise how important it is for the town and its economy.

AFCB's full press release on the new stadium announcement.

In other News Harry Arter also signs a four-year contract extension.

HITC articles 
- Abdel Hernandez should Watford sign the Hull City striker?
- Would Rickie Lambert be a fit for Ipswich Town
- West Ham should break the bank for Jamie Vardy

You were quick to have your say on the new stadium proposals, too.

Fantastic and Positive news ! #afcb #afcbfamily
"The club is working with Bournemouth council on the Plans"https://t.co/CA4svx5g4P 🍒🍒🍒

— Steve Butler (@steve_afcb) July 13, 2017

To another 107 years of memories at King's Park 🍾 #afcb https://t.co/EOEHMglJqW

— Sam Brown (@samuel_jbrown) July 13, 2017

BOOOOM. Great news. The temple of brilliant football stays at its spiritual home. #DeanCourtTwo #afcb https://t.co/ddpWhvfX9v

— afcb_rob (@rdw4591) July 13, 2017