Eddie Howe

Eddie Howe had become a Bournemouth legend before his 40th birthday. A former player at the club he became manager at the age of 31, rescued the club from relegation to on-League despite a -17 points deficit, then won promotion despite a transfer embargo. That launched a climb from basement to penthouse as Bournemouth won two further promotions to become the smallest venue to host Premier League football. Howe made his debut for Bournemouth at 18 and played 300 matches for the club in two spells interrupted by an injury-hit period at Portsmouth. At 29 was promoted to the position of player-coach with the initial responsibility of coaching Bournemouth's reserve team, whilst continuing to play in the first team. After he retired he became youth coach then caretaker manager on New Year's Eve 2008.  After escaping relegation he guided the Cherries to only their fifth promotion. Howe also set a club record at the start of the season, by winning eight out of the first nine games. Howe then joined Burnley in January 2012 with Bournemouth in contention for promotion to League One. Returning south for personal reasons he regained the reins in October 2012 lifting the club up the table to win promotion to the second tier for only the second time, following their 1987 success. Two years later he led Bournemouth to promotion to the top flight for the first time in the club's history. In the same year Eddie received the LMA award for the Manager of the Year. He then consolidated the club in the Barclays Premier League despite gates being restricted by a capacity of 12,000.