Meet the Band of Brothers Behind a Fairy-Tale Rise
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 10 * * * Saturday 26 December 2015 The Daily Telegraph The Daily Telegraph Saturday 26 December 2015 * * * 11 Sport Barclays Premier League EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Meet the band Bournemouth to be fined for of brothers breaking FFP By Jonathan Veal behind a Bournemouth are in “positive dialogue” with the Football League as they wait to find out the severity of a fine for breaking Financial Fair Play rules on their way to winning the Championship title last season. fairy-tale rise The club won promotion to the Premier League for the first time, but did so while exceeding the max- imum adjusted loss of £6million set by FFP rules in 2012. While avoiding a transfer embar- go – the sanction which Nottingham Forest and Fulham have received for the same offence – Bournemouth will receive a fine from the Football League, the amount of which is yet to be revealed. The club are in talks with the League in an attempt to reach a “satisfactory outcome”. Championship clubs Fulham and t is a story that is certain the combined cost of less than Nottingham Forest are under a Bournemouth back four not just to become a £500,000, refreshing proof of two transfer embargo for the rest of the tell Jeremy Wilson popular quiz question, things. The first is that arguably season. It is the second season in a but which should also the biggest problem facing young row that Forest have broken FFP of their incredible serve as a lesson for the English footballers is not lack of rules and placed under embargo. journey together, from national game. Which quality but being prematurely and A Fulham statement outlined lower-league obscurity four players, whose lazily discarded as unworthy of some mitigating circumstances be- I previous senior football further opportunity. The second, hind their breach. It read: “The em- to proving they can was variously at which was reinforced by wins over bargo arises as the club made an Chesterfield, Gillingham, Leyton Chelsea and Manchester United, is adjusted loss greater than the cut it in the top flight Orient, Bradford, Sheffield United, the difference that can be made by £6million limit allowed by the Grimsby, Charlton, Tranmere, an inspirational coach such as Football League in the year follow- Bognor Regis, Brighton, Havant, Howe, even after players have ing relegation. The Football League Eastleigh, Eastbourne and reached middle age in their has since recognised this limit is Mansfield, rose together through professional lives. low, especially for clubs recently the divisions to become a Premier “I think Premier League clubs relegated with Premier League League back four? don’t look at players in the overheads, and the limit has now The fairy tale that is AFC Championship and League One increased to £13million. Bournemouth has been well told and the potential that they have “Unfortunately Fulham’s embar- throughout 2015, but it is hard to actually got,” says Daniels. “There go falls in the final year of the previ- think of an individual chapter that are many younger players with the ous limit, but the club does not will serve as a greater inspiration potential, but they seem to get anticipate being in breach in future to any young footballer than that of overlooked. I always wanted to years.” Tommy Elphick, Steve Cook, play in the Premier League and Bolton are the third club to be Simon Francis and Charlie Daniels. always felt I was good enough. I banned from signing players, after Elphick, Cook, Francis and have taken a bit of a long way they were punished for being una- Daniels were seemingly all round, but I got there in the end. I ble to submit their FFP return destined for careers in the lower wouldn’t change it for the world. owing to them being served with a reaches of the Football League We have shown through hard work winding-up petition by HMRC over when they were variously signed that we are more than capable.” an unpaid tax bill. during 2012. Yet with Daniels, who followed David PHIL YEOMANS/BNPS Bournemouth unexpectedly Beckham and Harry Kane in clinching promotion from playing youth football at The catalyst was Howe’s October Inspirational: October. “Every time we talk about Cook, Francis and Daniels certainly us together it just clicked,” he says. and experience has made us better, ‘If we didn’t get on League One in 2012-13, Ridgeway Rovers in north return after a spell in charge at Simon Francis, him [Howe] we get goose bumps agree that their on-field bond is “We wanted the same thing, but the friendship is a bonus. We they were to finish that London, signed his first Burnley. After just one victory in Tommy Elphick, because he means that much to the strengthened by their off-field socialised out of football and we all have grown stronger together, I don’t think it season established as professional contract with their first 13 matches, Steve Cook and lads, the club and the fans,” he says. friendship and, with Howe have similar backgrounds. It would become friends because you have would work as the club’s back four. Tottenham Hotspur, but Bournemouth would suddenly win Charlie Daniels all “My position now is crazy, because delivering regular history lessons have been easy for the manager to that common ground, but football These same four left for Leyton Orient in 12 and draw three of their next 15 hail the impact of at one point in my career, I never about Bournemouth’s “journey”, bring players in and not trust us.” is a ruthless game. We also realise well as it has on English professionals 2009 after gathering all his fixtures. They were not signed by Eddie Howe (left) thought it would happen.” their affinity with the club is Even after winning promotion players can come in and help us. were still Eddie Howe’s playing experience while on Howe, but they were soon Ask Howe himself about the clearly genuine. last season, Daniels prefers not to Some people were saying that the the pitch. Our defence when Bournemouth loan in the lower divisions. identified as players to be trusted, achievement of bringing so many Cook, for example, says that the select one individual standout manager kept the faith at the start girlfriends are won the Championship in Cook and Elphick were both and remained his preferred back players through the divisions and knowledge of how Bournemouth moment, but rather the manner in of the season, but it’s a hugely May and, until Elphick’s products of the Brighton four through all the subsequent his first instinct is to point out that faced extinction less than six years which Bournemouth are achieving talented group and he would not pretty friendly recent ankle surgery, youth system and were also success. they have not yet established ago provided perspective amid their success. “We all have the have played us if we weren’t ready. remained the bedrock of loaned out, as was Francis They each instantly agree that themselves in the Premier League. their injury crisis and recent loss of same mentality and the most There is no sentiment.” and it’s not a his side. after being rejected by his Howe’s influence was life- What he clearly values, however, is five matches in a row. enjoyable thing is we have done it So will they still be reminiscing massive city’ As they gather together two hometown clubs in changing. Francis highlights the their eagerness to listen and “If we didn’t get on I don’t think the right way and haven’t gone about this feat when they are long inside the home dressing Nottingham before joining speed and intensity of his training improve, regardless of past it would work as well as it has on long ball,” he says. retired? “No,” smiles Elphick. He room, the camaraderie and Bradford City, where he made sessions, Elphick describes Howe experiences. “Mentally they are the pitch,” says Francis. “Our The extrovert Elphick clearly then points out that the nucleus of shared bond of struggles earlier his professional debut in 2002. as “a machine” for his “first in, last coachable, mouldable,” says Howe. girlfriends are pretty friendly and retains a huge dressing-room the managerial staffof Howe, Jason in their careers is quickly They were brought together out” work ethic, Daniels “Those relationships, those it’s not a massive city. That’s the presence even while out injured, Tindall, Neil Moss, Carl Fletcher evident. “The common thing we at Bournemouth in 2012 but, particularly highlights a playing partnerships, have been the great story – it’s not only us but but is also brutally realistic about and Steve Fletcher were once have is that we have all taken a as Elphick remembers, philosophy that has never been cornerstone of how well the team over 10 players who have stayed the challenge that awaits. “If one of Bournemouth team-mates. knock-back,” says Elphick. “We success – or even regular compromised, while Cook believes have done in recent years.” with the momentum of the club us wasn’t pulling our weight we “Franny [Simon Francis] can be my know this game can change playing time – was not that his manager’s enthusiasm and It is perhaps instructive that one and stayed on the train. We all would have been left behind,” he assistant, Chas [Daniels] can be the quickly, so it has been important immediate. “We got off to a passion became infectious. That of Howe’s big influences is the know the gaffer wouldn’t wait for says.