Cummings joins AFC Wimbledon

Former AFC Bournemouth club captain Warren Cummings has joined League Two side AFC Wimbledon.

The Dean Court favourite was told by Cherries manager Paul Groves over the telephone that he would not be offered a new contract this summer, ending the left backs career on the south coast after ten years.

Cummings first made the move to Dean Court in October 2000 when he made 11 appearances during his first loan spell from Chelsea.

The popular left back was on loan at AFC Bournemouth again in January 2003 and he finally made a permanent move in April 2003 and he was part of Sean O'Driscoll's squad to win promotion from Division Three via the play-offs which ended in a glorious 5-2 victory over Lincoln at the Millennium Stadium.

During the 2004/05 season the Cherries were in the hunt for the League One play-offs, with Cummings in the form of his career, but on the 5th March 2005, a challenge with Swindon Town's Steve Jenkins left Cummings with a broken tibia and fibula.

The loss of Cummings was a major contributing factor to the sides loss of form and the Cherries missed out on reaching the play-offs.

Sadly a season of frustration followed for Cummings. Having discovered that 3 months after the injury had happened, that his leg was still broken and needed a plate to be inserted to help the bones heal, more and more setbacks followed, resulting in just one 40 minute reserve appearance for Wazza in 2005/6.

The 2006/07 season was another frustrating time, Warren broke back into the first team while playing through the pain barrier, but by October the pain was too much and Warren had to have more time off to have the plate removed from his leg.

He returned towards the last third of the season and showed glimpses of his former self but never returned to the consistent performer he once was.

During the second half of the 2008/09 season Cummings lost his place to loanee Rhoys Wiggins and the following season, Cummings was once again playing back up to the Welsh left back when he re-joined the club for a second loan spell in January 2010.

During the 2009/10 campaign Cummings still made 39 appearances as the club won automatic promotion out of League Two.

During the first part of 2011/12 Cummings was regularly in the Cherries squad, but following the signings of Scott Malone and Charlie Daniels, his appearances were becoming more limited.

He spent the final few months of the 2011/12 season on loan at League Two side Crawley Town and helped the club to automatic promotion, but at the end of that season he was released by AFC Bournemouth.

In total he made 300 appearances for the Cherries.

Cummings told afcwimbledon.co.uk...

'...I had a lot of interest in me and had other options available, but I spoke to the manager here and it just felt right. Last season when I was at Crawley I was impressed with the manner of Wimbledon's play and how they passed it. I watched them when they came down to Crawley at the end of last season and saw them on television a couple of times. I really liked how they played. I get forward a lot, but I enjoy the passing side of the game. I study matches in depth and watch a lot of the best teams in the world when I can. If I become a manager in the future, then the passing style is what I want to base my football on and that is what they try to do at Wimbledon. It is something that I am really looking forward to.'

'I would not class it as sour (the end of his AFCB career), but I think it could have been handled slightly differently, it did not taint my 10 years there as I had a fantastic time at Bournemouth. I look back on my time there fondly, but I hope I will be able to do the same when I leave Wimbledon. It was never an option for me to go back to Scotland as I love playing in England. I got a phone call from my Dad, who acts on my behalf, and he told me that AFC Wimbledon were interested. I remembered what I saw last season and I am delighted to be here now.'





RednBlack Shack

Don't forget to keep checking the RednBlack Shack for great online deals and help to raise money for the AFC Bournemouth Youth Team.

It's easy to join Vital Bournemouth

Simply register with Vital Bournemouth and enjoy getting involved! (you can even win prizes just by having your say on the articles, polls and forums.)

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.