EDDIE Howe quickly discovered what he had in Tommy Elphick.

Amid the finger pointing and frustration of an expensively-assembled Cherries squad languishing in the League One relegation zone when Howe returned from Burnley in October 2012, he recognised he had talent at his disposal.

Looking back, what he inherited suited his style. Players capable of embracing a technical culture and attacking with pace.

But equally important to the rise and rise of AFC Bournemouth over the past four seasons was appointing the right leader.

Quite simply, Elphick fitted the bill in every aspect.

From superstitiously headbutting the post before every match to his no-holds-barred quotes to the media, fans, players and staff had a leader who related to them, who cared as they did. It mattered to him.

On the pitch, his influence was just as telling. Howe named him in his starting XI for every match as Cherries soared towards contention for a place in the Championship, a spell which saw him become temporary skipper.

His run was cruelly ended by Ryan Lowe’s X-rated lunge at MK Dons in February 2013 and while Cherries coped, a five-match losing streak without their defensive talisman proved tricky.

Granted, the form began to turn prior to his return for the final six matches of a momentous promotion but Howe had seen enough – the Daily Echo/Micky Cave player of the year would retain the armband.

It gave Elphick the opportunity at Championship level that injury had so cruelly denied him at hometown club Brighton.

But there was to be a fly in the ointment.

Summer recruit Elliott Ward arrived and kicked off the campaign alongside Steve Cook.

It would have been easy to trot out the well-worn line about fighting for places but as always, Elphick emphasised his determination in punchy fashion.

“If I start showing a bad attitude then who am I to look up to?” he asked.

“You are not going to get anything out of sulking and dragging your heels so it is important that I get fit, get up to speed as quickly as possible and push the other two on.”

It took time but Ward’s dismissal at Leicester at the end of October opened the door and Elphick never looked back.

From November 23, he kicked off 30 matches in a row with four clean sheets alongside partner-in-crime Cook during March, pushing Cherries tantalisingly close to the play-off places.

As it was, they had to make do with 10th – then the club’s best league finish – but that was just the prelude to Elphick securing legendary status.

That established centre-half pairing would kick off all 46 league fixtures as Cherries made history, winning the Championship by not only boasting by far the best attack but the second-meanest defence.

It looked more a brotherhood than a functional partnership, particularly in the iconic image of the two celebrating Cook’s wonder goal at Fulham – a pivotal night in the club’s crowning glory.

Of course, it was not just a double act. Cherries kicked off their maiden Premier League campaign with the same back four – Simon Francis, Elphick, Cook and Charlie Daniels – that had served them in League One.

In the end, Elphick’s season turned on an injury picked up in his third top-flight outing – the 4-3 thriller at West Ham – and he would miss most of the campaign after discovering he had chipped a bone in his ankle.

During that time, Francis formed a solid partnership with Cook and despite starting the final six Premier League matches, Elphick headed for Aston Villa yesterday.

In 130 appearances for Cherries, Elphick achieved what nobody thought possible and never-to-be-repeated chunks of history.

His departure finally spells the end of an era for a back four that, like so many other Cherries stars, defied their lower-league tags every time a big name was drafted in.

Elphick was at the heart of that with a tub-thumping, never-say-die spirit that was infectious. Villa, so bereft of guts and spirit last term, have the perfect antidote for their ills while the next Cherries captain has big boots to fill.

On behalf of the town, this newspaper thanks you, Tommy, and good luck.

It has been a blast.

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