Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries star Lovell: I feel at home here
STAR striker Steve Lovell put the finishing touches to his new contract with Cherries and then vowed to continue to pull out all the stops in a bid to rediscover his best.[LNB] Lovell yesterday penned a one-year deal with a 12-month option and admitted his decision to re-sign for the club he first joined as a teenager had been easy.[LNB] Verwood-raised Lovell, who returned to Dean Court for a second spell last summer, endured an injury-ravaged campaign and was restricted by an ankle injury to just nine appearances.[LNB] But, during the closing stages of an epic season, the 30-year-old showed glimpses of the form that once saw him establish himself as one of the top goalscorers in the Scottish Premier League.[LNB] The former Aberdeen, Dundee and Falkirk hitman, who shares his home on the outskirts of Glasgow with singer-songwriter Amy MacDonald, will continue to divide his time between Scotland and Dorset.[LNB] Lovell told the Daily Echo: I think the club is going places. I was happy to be offered a new contract and delighted to sign. Although I had a difficult season, it was great to get back and to be involved in the play-offs.[LNB] I worked hard to get back and felt I had been improving with every game. I was disappointed the season had to end when it did.[LNB] It was always going to take a few months to get back to some decent form because I had been out for a year. But I was still quite pleased with how quickly things turned out in the end.[LNB] The ankle has been really good. I still get a few aches and pains but that is to be expected. In a way, being thrown straight back into the first team probably helped me get my fitness back a bit quicker.[LNB] Lovell added: For the first time in my career, I am looking forward to pre-season. I will be working hard on all aspects of my fitness during the close season.[LNB] I am planning to come in to work with Louis Langdown (Cherries' conditioning coach) during the summer and put in some extra training to get me ready for pre-season.[LNB] I am confident we can have another good year. The boys did fantastically well to get us into the play-offs and the team has great spirit.[LNB] Although we have lost Danny Hollands, who was a massive player for us, I am sure the boys will stick together and we can give it another shot next season.[LNB] I have got the utmost respect for everyone involved with the club.[LNB] It is certainly in a much better position than it was a few years ago and I feel good around the place. To me, it is very important to feel at home at a club and that is how I feel here.[LNB] Cherries have provisionally arranged a pre-season friendly with Portsmouth for Monday, July 11.[LNB]
