FOLLOWING the Swindon debacle, where the Cherries players looked dead on their feet during the last 15 minutes, I suggest strongly that Bournemouth have an overnight stop for the team travelling to away games such as at Coventry, Notts County and Carlisle.

A colleague, friend of mine, did a survey in 07 - 08 season as I remember, of results of away games played when the team had travelled overnight and where the team had gone up on the day.

The results were that over a period of around 18 or so games away from home the team lost every away game virtually, apart from one draw travelling up on the day and when they went on an overnight stop the success rate was 60 per cent.

I do believe this is important and that it is also unfair on travelling fans for the team not to prepare properly for vital games.

There is an unwritten law in football stating that any football team journey over 80 miles duration would require an overnight stay and there’s no excuse because the club have large resources with the new Russian investment to be able to do this.

If they want to get to the play-off’s and achieve promotion they will have to take heed.

UP THE CHERRIES – long-suffering fan of 40 years