HAD fate fallen differently, Simon Francis might have been running out at Carlisle United's Brunton Park headquarters in League Two this weekend. Instead he will lead Cherries into battle against Arsenal in front of 60,000 supporters at Emirates Stadium.

It was five years ago this month that the defender arrived at Dean Court on loan prior to a permanent move. That summer he had politely turned down the informal approach of Lee Bradbury in order to better himself at Charlton, only for then Addicks boss Chris Powell to tell him he was surplus to requirements.

With Bradbury completing a season-long loan deal for Tottenham full-back Nathan Byrne in the interim, Francis's options were limited. When he floated the idea of a loan move to Carlisle with his partner Ashley, she was less than impressed.

Francis told the Daily Echo: "A couple of weeks before I joined Bournemouth I was offered the chance to go to Carlisle and I think I mentioned it to the missus and she was nearly crying at the thought of going up there!

"I said, 'look, we haven't got many other options' and that was the truth at the time.

"I had taken a call from Bradders in the summer but had told him I wanted to give it another go at Charlton. It was a big club at the time and still is, and I wanted to give it another crack in pre-season.

"A week after I put the phone down to Bradders, Chris Powell told me I wasn't in his plans so I rung Bradders back but they had already signed Nathan Byrne.

"That's when I thought my chance to come to Bournemouth had gone. But Byrne then got injured and they needed another right-back so I got the call and fortunately it worked out.

"The missus was happy with Bournemouth. Although she had never been down here and it was still a couple of hours away, I don't think she was complaining too much – it was better than Carlisle!"

Francis's £25,000 switch to the south coast paid off – and then some. Playing a key role in Cherries' two promotions, he was handed the captaincy full-time prior to the club's second season in the Premier League.

The 31-year-old is on course to hit 250 appearances for Cherries by the end of the campaign.

Francis added: "It doesn't feel like five years, it's gone quickly. It's just so strange how I was struggling for game time at Charlton and came here without any real ambitions of getting where the club has done, just to get games because I knew the manager.

"When the gaffer (Howe) came back, I've never known a feeling like it around the place.

"We were in League One and playing some all right stuff but I don't think we talked about promotion under Lee Bradbury or Paul Groves. Then the manager came back and in the first couple of days he knew the squad and the quality we had within it.

"Suddenly, it was like, 'let's get up this table' and from then on we've gone from strength to strength. I've loved it."