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Cherries: Ritchie is another big statement of intent says Howe (with video) (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Cherries: Ritchie is another big statement of intent says Howe (with video)
9:55pm Wednesday 30th January 2013 in Sport
By Neil Perrett
DEAN COURT DEAL: Matt Ritchie
Matt Ritchie scores for Swindon against Gillingham in League Two last season...
MANAGER Eddie Howe has hailed as “another statement of intent” Cherries’ capture of sought-after Swindon Town winger Matt Ritchie.
The 23-year-old, who was being tracked by a host of Championship clubs, this evening pledged his future to Cherries when he signed a three-and-a-half year deal at Dean Court.
He joined Cherries for a fee in the region of £500,000 and became Howe’s fourth addition of the transfer window, following the arrivals of Brett Pitman, Ryan Allsop and Ryan Fraser.
The move – revealed exclusively today on the Daily Echo’s Twitter feed – ended Cherries’ lengthy pursuit of the gifted playmaker, which had started some 14 months ago.
Ritchie, who first came to Howe’s attention when he had a trial with Cherries in 2008, had been the subject of a number of failed bids by the Dorset club.
Speaking to the Daily Echo, Howe said: “I have known Matt for a number of years and was first made aware of him when came in on trial with Joel Ward. They were both young lads just starting to come through at Portsmouth.
“Matt is a talented player and very good technically. He did really well during a loan spell at Dagenham and ended up getting a move to Swindon. From there, he has really flourished and done ever so well. He is regarded as one of the best players in League One and his signing is a real coup for the club. It is also another statement of intent.
“He is a goalscorer and has scored nine times this season. He is also a goal creator and a set-piece specialist. He can play a number of positions, including all across midfield, and can also cover at left-back in an emergency, which is another string to his bow and something we need.
“For various reasons, his age is very important to us and he will only get better with us. His attitude is probably his stand-out quality. He wants to do well, he is very conscientious and keen to learn and improve. Those are all the hallmarks we look for in a player.”
Ritchie, who was also a target for Crystal Palace, Charlton, Bolton and Bristol City, has this season enhanced his growing reputation, his nine goals and nine assists helping Swindon sustain a promotion bid.
Gosport-born Ritchie, who progressed through the ranks at local club Portsmouth, also played a starring role last season for the Robins and was named League Two’s player of the year as they romped to the title.
He is expected to go straight into the Cherries squad for Saturday’s trip to MK Dons and his arrival will certainly spice up competition for places with Marc Pugh, Josh McQuoid, Wes Fogden, Donal McDermott and new boy Fraser all able to operate as wingers.
“We have strength in depth,” added Howe. “Matt’s signing gives us real competition for places and flexibility.”
Meanwhile, Howe said he anticipated no further incoming activity ahead of the closing of the transfer window at 11pm tomorrow.
Comments(41)
The Renegade Master
says...
10:02pm Wed 30 Jan 13
UTCIAD!!
Couchy125
says...
10:05pm Wed 30 Jan 13
cherriesforlife79
says...
10:07pm Wed 30 Jan 13
big_afcb_fan
says...
10:09pm Wed 30 Jan 13
bobsworthforever
says...
10:13pm Wed 30 Jan 13
Couchy125
says...
10:16pm Wed 30 Jan 13
OfCourse
says...
10:58pm Wed 30 Jan 13
Couchy125 wrote:Thanks Maxim Demin, and Eddie Howe, I'm guessing the director of football missed him on Fifa 13!
Lets give Eddie Mitchell and the board a huge round of applause next home game. Because they sure do deserve it. Up the cherries.
jakeysredd
says...
11:24pm Wed 30 Jan 13
Now where did I hear that ?????
Auzzi Cherry
says...
11:43pm Wed 30 Jan 13
What a squad we have ! Mark my words, it will be Auto's for us this year !
YafcbY
says...
12:19am Thu 31 Jan 13
jakeysredd wrote:YOU'LL NEVER SIGN MATT RITCHIE, YOU'LL NEVER SIGN MATT RITCHIE!
YOU'L NEVER SIGN MATT RICHIE, YOU'L NEVER SIGN MATT RICHIE,
Now where did I hear that ?????
YafcbY
says...
12:20am Thu 31 Jan 13
and from Swindon! :-)
RED on tour
says...
1:01am Thu 31 Jan 13
So Swindon, we know the problems of the threat of administration so best of luck on that particular front, but welcome Matt to Bournemouth Swindon's loss is our gain and will, I am positive, send a message of intent to the other clubs in Div1.
The message is "Get out of the way because Bournemouth are coming"
Play off's?
No chance we want to go up as League 1
CHAMPIONS
UTCIAD
TedMacsCherryPants
says...
6:32am Thu 31 Jan 13
To all the Swindle fans that have been giving the mouth on here....so much for your £2M valuation, you caravan is sinking!
To the decent Swindon fans, we know what it feels like to lose our rated players and all the best for the rest of the season.
Roll on Saturday Franchise are gonna get it!! COYR!!!!!
Chish and Fips
says...
6:52am Thu 31 Jan 13
Matt on his day is magic .. hasn't played so well this season granted but this move may spark him back to life.
We have to move on now and worry what else is the pipeline with the new owners.
Take this situation as a clue what can happen if your owners decide to pull out - what was a comfortable open cheque book can be become a closed account.
Hope it doesn't happen to you lot again .
snake hips
says...
7:05am Thu 31 Jan 13
dc addict
says...
7:24am Thu 31 Jan 13
Now is the time to stay level headed about promotion. It will still be a miracle if we get automatic promotion but play offs promotion is now a real possibility.
Chish and Fips
says...
7:35am Thu 31 Jan 13
Hmmm nice one ...Contradiction there pal. Enjoy the moment.
Wilkie
says...
7:49am Thu 31 Jan 13
ifordcherry
says...
7:52am Thu 31 Jan 13
common dog
says...
7:58am Thu 31 Jan 13
The Renegade Master wrote:Enjoy this time in that way if you have to but remember it wasn't that long ago that we nearly went out of business ourselves. We got upset when clubs came in and snapped Vokes up for a lot less than he was worth.
PDC and the Swindle fans will be spitting their dummies out tonight! Mid table finish for those losers while we will be playing Stains in the Championship next season! Well done to Maxim Demin for providing the funds to make us the best team in the league by miles. MK Dons had better watch out at the weekend we're gonna give you your hardest game of the season!
UTCIAD!!
.
We can't afford all of these player's wages on gates of 8000, it is only because MD is prepared to splash his cash.
.
Hope and pray that this lasts a long time because we are more in debt now than we ever have been. At least it is to one of our owners this time.
LeGod
says...
8:09am Thu 31 Jan 13
As a player his work rate is unbeleivable and his ball skills and balls into the box are second to none. He had a poor game when we played you recently but without a doubt you have one of the best players in L1 and you have payed peanuts for him especially when you consider you paid 800k for Tubbs who to me is L2 at best.
You have got some knobs as fans coming on our website winding us up so we all know now you got Ritchie really surprised he went to you for the money and surprised he didnt go to a bigger team but its happenned now so Good Luck Matt Ritchie.
Chish and Fips
says...
8:32am Thu 31 Jan 13
ifordcherry wrote:Oxford - ?? bit transparent that wind up pal.... or is it and you really think that - oh dear try going out and meeting people a bit more.
Who gives a toss about that small club in OXFORD ???Not me and not 99% of Bournemouth fans....End of the day gypos we have stole one of the top players in league one.AND...all he cost was your staple diet from up your Oxford homes...PEANUTS !!!
I know - find a dark corner somewhere close your eyes and chant to yourself over and over ' I must not make an idiot of myself on here' it may work. :o)
djd
says...
8:35am Thu 31 Jan 13
I feel sorry for the club which has done so well over the past two seasons.
But, onwards and upwards. Certainly seeing The Cherries up there next season now.
CherrySi
says...
9:20am Thu 31 Jan 13
LeGod wrote:Fair play LeGod, we've been on that side of the fence plenty of times....never nice. Good luck STFC hope everything sorts itself out down there. And UTCIAD
Good Luck to Matt Ritchie who has been a fantastic player for our club and i cant believe the price you got him for as it seems our owner panciked incase the takeover dodnt happen and we have given him away.
As a player his work rate is unbeleivable and his ball skills and balls into the box are second to none. He had a poor game when we played you recently but without a doubt you have one of the best players in L1 and you have payed peanuts for him especially when you consider you paid 800k for Tubbs who to me is L2 at best.
You have got some knobs as fans coming on our website winding us up so we all know now you got Ritchie really surprised he went to you for the money and surprised he didnt go to a bigger team but its happenned now so Good Luck Matt Ritchie.
denisjames
says...
9:23am Thu 31 Jan 13
Square Old Codger
says...
10:05am Thu 31 Jan 13
LeGod
says...
10:10am Thu 31 Jan 13
If you get promoted they reckon the average annual wage bill is 8m in the championship so theres alot of cash to find and you would need to increase your ground capacity and fill it every week to increase revenue and bigger sponsorship.
Very disappointed we have let Ritchie go for stupid money he is probabaly worth 1.5 million but seems our owner panicked and i feel has c*****d us fans from a great height.
There are many twists and turns in football and peaks and troughs and there will be more clubs that this happens to in the not too distant future as alot of the owners of clubs seem to like the idea of owning clubs as a bit of a hobby but then reliase the cost involved and either manage them badly or decide to get out.
Any way you have got a Gem of a player in Ritchie and you will soon see he is a high quality player and will be a real assett to your team.
smhinto
says...
10:15am Thu 31 Jan 13
LeGod wrote:Agree, I have always said that Tubbs is A L2 player, but I always get flack for it on here. We definately overpaid for Tubbs. Tidy little player but as I have said many times he is certainly not L1 material.
Good Luck to Matt Ritchie who has been a fantastic player for our club and i cant believe the price you got him for as it seems our owner panciked incase the takeover dodnt happen and we have given him away. As a player his work rate is unbeleivable and his ball skills and balls into the box are second to none. He had a poor game when we played you recently but without a doubt you have one of the best players in L1 and you have payed peanuts for him especially when you consider you paid 800k for Tubbs who to me is L2 at best. You have got some knobs as fans coming on our website winding us up so we all know now you got Ritchie really surprised he went to you for the money and surprised he didnt go to a bigger team but its happenned now so Good Luck Matt Ritchie.
.
Regards
adyb1967
says...
10:39am Thu 31 Jan 13
coops1965
says...
11:09am Thu 31 Jan 13
I must confess that I have been dying laughing at the banter between our two parties, don't you just love football and all the good natured banter that it brings.
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAA
Swindon, you are finished !!!!!!!!!
STEADY EDDIE 1 for the road
says...
11:29am Thu 31 Jan 13
smhinto wrote:Shminto, without wishing to descend into an all out row with you today, could you enlighten us as to exactly how much we overpaid for tubbs.
LeGod wrote:Agree, I have always said that Tubbs is A L2 player, but I always get flack for it on here. We definately overpaid for Tubbs. Tidy little player but as I have said many times he is certainly not L1 material.
Good Luck to Matt Ritchie who has been a fantastic player for our club and i cant believe the price you got him for as it seems our owner panciked incase the takeover dodnt happen and we have given him away. As a player his work rate is unbeleivable and his ball skills and balls into the box are second to none. He had a poor game when we played you recently but without a doubt you have one of the best players in L1 and you have payed peanuts for him especially when you consider you paid 800k for Tubbs who to me is L2 at best. You have got some knobs as fans coming on our website winding us up so we all know now you got Ritchie really surprised he went to you for the money and surprised he didnt go to a bigger team but its happenned now so Good Luck Matt Ritchie.
.
Regards
As i was aware the actual fee was undisclosed, therefore none of us are privvy to the terms of the deal. I suspect that you have based your assumption on the paper-say which as we all know is not necessarily always accurate.
Finally, you are constantly telling us that Tubbs is L2 at best, which seems to be at odds with Eddie Howe's opinion of the player, unless of course you know more than King Eddie.!!!!!.
Please note- no insults, just intrigue.REGARDS
Afcbpete
says...
11:38am Thu 31 Jan 13
STEADY EDDIE 1 for the road wrote:The 800k seemed at the time to just be talk with no substance. Possibly with ALL add on's yes, but those add on's as in percentages of transfer fee should we sell him are unlikely to materialise, so 800k I would say if very wide of the mark. I doubt we paid more than we did for Fraser or indeed Ritchie. In fact, when you look at the signings made under Eddie, although obviously there are the wages to take into account, we've not spent stupid money, FAR from it, and those signings should we get promoted, will increase massively in value. So Maxim's money is certainly going to be an investment.
smhinto wrote:Shminto, without wishing to descend into an all out row with you today, could you enlighten us as to exactly how much we overpaid for tubbs.
LeGod wrote:Agree, I have always said that Tubbs is A L2 player, but I always get flack for it on here. We definately overpaid for Tubbs. Tidy little player but as I have said many times he is certainly not L1 material.
Good Luck to Matt Ritchie who has been a fantastic player for our club and i cant believe the price you got him for as it seems our owner panciked incase the takeover dodnt happen and we have given him away. As a player his work rate is unbeleivable and his ball skills and balls into the box are second to none. He had a poor game when we played you recently but without a doubt you have one of the best players in L1 and you have payed peanuts for him especially when you consider you paid 800k for Tubbs who to me is L2 at best. You have got some knobs as fans coming on our website winding us up so we all know now you got Ritchie really surprised he went to you for the money and surprised he didnt go to a bigger team but its happenned now so Good Luck Matt Ritchie.
.
Regards
As i was aware the actual fee was undisclosed, therefore none of us are privvy to the terms of the deal. I suspect that you have based your assumption on the paper-say which as we all know is not necessarily always accurate.
Finally, you are constantly telling us that Tubbs is L2 at best, which seems to be at odds with Eddie Howe's opinion of the player, unless of course you know more than King Eddie.!!!!!.
Please note- no insults, just intrigue.REGARDS
swindonbob
says...
2:56pm Thu 31 Jan 13
kangman2012
says...
3:42pm Thu 31 Jan 13
kenbaileysteeth
says...
6:07pm Thu 31 Jan 13
It would be very easy to gloat and be smug at the swindle fans who trolled the Echo the other week. But as we have had some close shaves and finacial problems over the years some sympathy goes out to you. And for the hard core swindle fans get yourself a tissue coz youve got egg all over ya face!!!
mossy 1
says...
7:12pm Thu 31 Jan 13
nonnogeppetto
says...
7:38pm Thu 31 Jan 13
Not so long ago when we had an exodus of players (in order to survive) I remember reading similar comments aimed at us. The comments came from all over the place but primarily from supporters of local clubs, I can say that the feeling was far from pleasurable. In this respect I feel sorry for the Swindon fans especially the more moderate ones who remain silent in these sorts of circumstances.
It’s fair enough to accuse each other of starting the slugging match however where has that famous word ‘humility’ has gone?
I take great pleasure that our club is now able to spend money on good players and with Eddie Howe in charge I am sure that the team will improve by adding players such as Ritchie and others. However let us not forget what happened at Pompey and few other clubs. I hope that our GLOATING will not turn around to bite us!!!
There is always one who try and spoil the fun I hear you say!!!!
raynad
says...
8:32pm Thu 31 Jan 13
hg191a
says...
9:52pm Thu 31 Jan 13
smirg kcab
says...
9:54pm Thu 31 Jan 13
Looks like we have just signed only 3 more players to cover matt
Bradley wright Phillips
Maroon pack
And Darren green
Oh we'll looks like champions again
Onwards backwards sidewards upwards
Afcbpete says...
10:00pm Wed 30 Jan 13