Bond: This Cherries side could be the greatest

02 October 2010 07:00
FORMER Cherries boss Kevin Bond believes Eddie Howe's class of 2010 has the potential to become one of the best teams in the club's history.[LNB] But Bond also insists it is too early to compare the current crop of Dean Court talent with yesterday's heroes from the 70s and 80s.[LNB] Bond's father John guided Cherries to promotion in 1971, while he skippered the club under Harry Redknapp during their glory days in the old second division.[LNB] Currently assisting Redknapp at Spurs, Bond joined Cherries as a player after they had clinched the old third division title in 1987 and starred as the club secured their highest league position in 1988-89.[LNB] As manager at Dean Court between 2006 and 2008, Bond was responsible for signing Shwan Jalal, Jason Pearce, Ryan Garry and Marvin Bartley four star performers during Howe's tenure.[LNB] Bond told the Daily Echo: In my opinion, nobody in Bournemouth's history will ever compare with Ted MacDougall and Phil Boyer. They were both fantastic strikers and fantastic players.[LNB] I was only a kid at the time, but I remember watching a really good team. They had some great players and some great battles. It was an exciting time for the club.[LNB] The late 80s was also a terrific period. The promotion team hardly lost a game and you could say someone like John Williams would go down as one of the best players in the club's history.[LNB] Given a bit of time and depending on how the current group continues to develop, they could certainly be up there as well.[LNB] But I think it's too early to say at the moment because we are not even 10 games into the season and a lot can change.[LNB] They seem to be settled and it seems to be the same names on the teamsheet every week. If they continue to do as well as they have, they can become one of the best teams Bournemouth has ever had.[LNB] ¢ THE ECHO'S CHERRIES-SAINTS XI.[LNB] The first team: Neil Moss, Kevin Bond, Mark Whitlock, Christer Warren, Jimmy Gabriel, Jimmy Case, Jamie Redknapp, David Armstrong, Colin Clarke, Ted MacDougall, Phil Boyer.[LNB] The reserves: Ian Andrews, Paul Telfer, Forbes Phillipson-Masters, Ron Young, Dave Bennett, David Madden, Martin McGrath, Wayne Talkes, John Flood, Derek Reeves, Tony Funnell.[LNB] The loan XI: Alan Blayney, Ivan Golac, Matt Mills, Martin Cranie, Jake Thomson, Simon Gillett, Andrew Surman, Adam Lallana, Tony Sealy, David McGoldrick, Leon Best.[LNB]

Source: Bournemouth_Echo