Howe returns to AFC Bournemouth

It has been confirmed that Eddie Howe has sensationally returned to AFC Bournemouth to take over as Cherries manager for a second time.

Speculation regarding Eddie Howe`s possible return to the Cherries was rife the moment former AFC Bournemouth manager Paul Groves and his assistant Shaun Brooks were relieved of their positions last week and the speculation reached fever pitch on Wednesday.

Despite the rumours of an imminent return Howe took his Burnley squad for training on Thursday morning and remained at the Burnley training ground all day.

Cherries chairman Eddie Mitchell later confirmed that an official approach had been made to Burnley, while local media reported via twitter that they expected the deal to be concluded with AFC Bournemouth and the Championship club Burnley continuing to discuss a compensation package.

But on Thursday night the deal took an unexpected twist with Burnley announcing in a statement that the Cherries approach had been refused and that no compensation deal had been agreed.

But within 24 hours the matter was settled and Eddie Howe had left Burnley to move back to AFC Bournemouth.

Howe made an emotional departure from AFC Bournemouth in January 2011 to takeover at Championship side Burnley, but has now opted to return to Dean Court for personal reasons.

Jason Tindall will also return to Dean Court to re-take his former role as assistant manager, whilst in an added twist, former Cherries midfield enforcer Marvin Bartley and striker Brett Pitman have also been reportedly linked to possible returns to the south coast.

It is thought that Jason Blake, Jon Dalzell and Des Taylor who all followed Howe from AFC Bournemouth to Burnley could also all return to the club.

The news will be a massive boost to the majority of the Dean Court faithful, who have backed Howe throughout his time as a player and then as manager at his boyhood club.

Howe was initially a product of the Cherries youth structure and while still at AFC Bournemouth, Howe played for the England Under 21's, but during a season of struggle, Howe was sold to Portsmouth in a deal that included Richard Hughes and £400,000.

The move would prove to be a nightmare for Howe, as a run of injuries, starting on his debut for Portsmouth.

He went on a loan spell to Swindon but never managed to play a game, before returning to Fratton Park.

He returned to Bournemouth 2 years later after fans' pulled together for a scheme called EddieShare to raise the revenue required to fund his return from Portsmouth.

At the age of 29, Eddie Howe announced his decision to retire from professional football after many seasons of struggle with a knee injury. His second spell added 76 appearances to his overall tally of over 300 appearances for the club.

He joined the Cherries coaching staff under then manager Kevin Bond in 2007, taking the role of reserves manager and first team coach.

However in September 2008, Howe lost his job as coach when he was sacked along with manager Kevin Bond and his assistant Rob Newman.

But only a few weeks later he was re-hired as part of the School of Excellence team.

On New Years Eve 2008, Eddie Howe was named as caretaker manager following the departure of Jimmy Quinn after just 121 days as manager.

Howe went on to complete the unbelievable feat of avoiding relegation from the Football League, after a seventeen point deduction and being ten points behind with half the season to play, the Cherries eventually avoiding the drop with a game to spare.

The following season Howe once again defied the odds by winning promotion from League Two with the same set of players after operating under a Football League transfer embargo for sixteen months.

In January 2011 Howe left the Cherries third in League One after accepting the managerial vacancy at Championship side Burnley.

During his first spell he took charge of 102 games, Howe boasted a win ratio of 50% and averaged 1.73 points per league game in charge.

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