A QUEUE of some 300 Harry Redknapp fans gathered at Castlepoint yesterday as the much-loved manager signed copies of his autobiography.

Redknapp, a Poole resident and former AFC Bournemouth manager, has seen the book, Always Managing, storm the bestseller lists.

With a long management career encompassing West Ham, the Cherries, Portsmouth, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and now Queen’s Park Rangers, there were fans from many different clubs queuing outside WH Smiths to meet him.

First in the queue, and waiting for more than an hour, was 67-year-old Elaine Burgess from Ensbury Park.

“My son in law and daughter are AFC Bournemouth fans, and he thinks Harry is wonderful so I had to come and get these copies signed,” she said.

“He is a real gentleman and was it was a pleasure to meet him.”

Avid Southampton FC fan Derek Parker, 68, was second in the queue with his daughter Elaine Sheppard, 34.

The Throop resident, who went to see his first Saints game aged five, said Redknapp had been brilliant for clubs on the south coast.

“He has been a very good manager, particularly for Tottenham, and I was very disappointed he didn’t get the England job,” he said.

“I have been looking forward to having a chance to meet him and he is a really good bloke.”

Cherries fans Jamie Kent and Reece White, both ten, were also meeting Harry for the first time.

“I’ve seen him at the games but not met him before, he is just a really great manager for any club he has been with,” said Jamie.

His mum Emma, 33, from Muscliff, added: “People like him because he is so down to earth, he is still a Bournemouth man really.”

Last week, despite his book hitting the top five in the Amazon sales league table, Sandbanks resident Redknapp told the Daily Echo that his mind was back on the beautiful game.

After a final book signing tomorrow in Walthamstow, he will be back preparing for QPR’s Championship match against Burnley on Saturday, with the team still hot favourites for promotion back to the Premier League.

Royalties from the book are going to the Bobby Moore Cancer Fund.