Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Eddie calls in chief cheerleader John to rouse the fans
EDDIE Howe is urging the Dean Court faithful to pump up the volume and has enlisted the help of a partially-deaf Cherries fan to lead the way.[LNB] Howe has asked John Garard the North Stands chief cheerleader to spearhead his request for added vocal support in a bid to boost Cherries promotion push.[LNB] Lifelong Cherries supporter John, who is well known on the terraces for conducting the Red Army chant, wears hearing aids in both ears and is also partially-sighted.[LNB] Cherries boss Howe told the Daily Echo: Our supporters have been excellent all season, as they were last season, and I know John does a sterling job on the North Stand.[LNB] We havent had things all our own way in our past couple of home games and are going to need our supporters behind us more than ever.[LNB] If things are tight and there is a phase in the game when we are under pressure, we are really going to need them to be heard. Its natural to be vocal when things are going well and people are quieter when things arent.[LNB] Expectation levels have increased due to our encouraging start to the season. But although we are expected to win our home games, it is never as easy as that.[LNB] Teams are going to make it exceptionally difficult for us and weve got some tough home games on the horizon.[LNB] Our fans are very knowledgeable and understanding and we need them to make a difference.[LNB] Howe added: I felt there was an eerie feeling around the ground at times during our last home game against Grimsby. Once we went 2-0 up, I sensed people may have thought we were just going to go on to run out comfortable winners but it is not that simple, as was proved.[LNB] The atmosphere in the second half against Chesterfield was fantastic and certainly helped our performance. Although we eventually lost, we nearly got something from a game which we were nearly out of at half-time.[LNB] In an ideal world, we would love it if the crowd could sing non-stop for 90 minutes because its that sort of carnival atmosphere that opposition teams dont like. As an opposing player, you hate it when home fans sing from the first whistle to the last.[LNB] We need to try to make it as difficult as we can for every team that comes here and having a noisy crowd behind you as the home team can make a huge difference to both teams.[LNB] Also, there is nothing better for a player than to hear the crowd behind you. It can make you produce performances you didnt know you were capable of.[LNB] When asked whether he had a message for supporters, cheerleader John cleared his throat and bellowed: Red Army... Red Army!.[LNB]
