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Opinion

Former Newcastle star is key lucky charm as Bournemouth arrive in Premier League

9 years ago
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Six years ago, Bournemouth were 21st in League Two, behind Darlington, Lincoln, Aldershot and Barnet.

Last night they beat Bolton 3-0 to guarantee (barring a 19 goal turnaround at the weekend…) promotion to the Premier League, a true football fairytale that surely any true supporter of the game can only admire.

What ambition they’ve shown, especially when it would have been so easy to cash in on star players in January and guarantee some financial stability for a club where ‘struggle’ had become their permanent position when it came to finances.

Ambition, ambition, ambition….are you listening Mr Ashley?

With the TV deals giving such riches these days, Bournemouth will surely look to what Swansea have achieved from equally dire circumstances, that is the Swansea who made it 7 defeats in a row for Newcastle and who are heading in the opposite direction to United, due to skilful and ambitious management….

It was quite apt last night that Dan Gosling came on in the 89th minute to help Bournemouth over the line, though at 3-0 by that point they we home and hosed already.

Former Newcastle (and Everton) star Gosling must be having mixed feelings, as never could he have imagined he’d be arriving back in the Premier League so quickly and certainly, never could he have thought for one second he’d play so little part in it.

Last season Alan Pardew bizarrely gave Dan Gosling four Premier League starts late in the season, even though he knew Gosling was leaving, the former Newcastle manager refused to give young players a chance even though United were stranded in mid-table.

In Bournemouth’s charge to the Premier League, Dan Gosling has made one start and that was back in August in a 1-1 draw with Norwich.

However, as a substitute the former Newcastle midfielder has become the ultimate lucky charm, 16 times he has come off the bench and 14 of those have ended up as Championship wins.

Incredibly, Dan Gosling has only played 245 minutes of Championship football for Bournemouth this season, despite being one of their higher profile signings last summer on a free from Newcastle. Incidentally, in the 17 matches Gosling has been involved in, Bournemout have scored an impressive 47 goals, in contrast Newcastle have managed only 36 in 34 league games.

In the cups he has been more active, playing six full matches and scoring 5 goals, the last of those coming against Liverpool as Bournemouth exited the League Cup at the quarter final stage, the same as Newcastle.

It makes you wonder what somebody like Gosling thinks about the club he’s left behind, is former Newcastle teammates attempting almost the impossible in trying to get relegated with seven straight defeats and only 3 wins in the last 21 competitive matches.

I don’t think Newcastle are missing much in Dan Gosling but it is difficult to think he could be any worse than those involved in the shambles for United on the pitch at this present time.

Good luck to Bournemouth, a club that deserves all the plaudits they are receiving.

At Newcastle we ponder as we await the next clueless and maniplulative move from Mike Ashley and the clowns he employs.

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