CHAIRMAN Eddie Mitchell last night defended Cherries’ staff “restructuring” and insisted there were no financial problems at Dean Court.

Mitchell was speaking after seven members of non-playing personnel were understood to have been made redundant by the League One outfit.

The Cherries chief refused to reveal the number of job losses but Daily Echo sources suggest seven employees departed the club on Monday.

Supporters reacted angrily to the news that long-serving programme editor and photographer Mick Cunningham was among the casualties.

Commercial executive Tom Jeffes confirmed he had also left, with the further job losses believed to include people from commercial, accounts, ground staff, Black Label Events and Hot Radio.

Mitchell told the Daily Echo: “We have done a certain amount of restructuring within the club.

“We have got our aims set high. To reach the goals which we believe are best to secure the future of the club, which is to try to get ourselves playing at a higher level of football, we have to remain hungry, not just on the pitch but off the pitch.

“There were a certain amount of adjustments to be done to do that.”

Cherries invested heavily in players during January and some sections of the Dean Court faithful have raised concerns about the club’s finances.

But Mitchell dismissed that talk and said: “There are no financial problems with the club whatsoever.”

Asked whether he had any regrets over the job losses, Mitchell said: “Of course I have. Some of them are friends of mine.

“I have been here three-and-a-half, nearly four, years and you can’t ignore the fact that you get to know people, get to respect their strengths and weaknesses and become involved with them.

“It is not something which I take lightly whatsoever but, on the other hand, I am here to do a job and that job is to secure the club’s future and to play the best football we can for the fans. I won’t shy away from making difficult decisions.”

Mitchell stressed that his vision for Cherries remained long-term and added: “I have been here three-and-a-half to four years and I don’t see any reason why I won’t repeat that.

“Since I have been here, I have had to make tough decisions and some of the decisions I have made have not been popular. But while it is my job to do what I think is best for the club, I will do that.”

At the time of the Echo going to print, there had been no official statement from Cherries on their website.