DAVID James lifted the lid on his sudden exit from Cherries nine years ago, insisting: "It was the nicest sacking I've ever had!"

The former England international was one of three goalkeepers to play for the club during the 2012-13 promotion-winning campaign from League One.

James was signed by Paul Groves on a free transfer in September 2012 following his release by Bristol City and he immediately usurped Shwan Jalal.

Groves was sacked a few days later after Cherries' poor start to the campaign, with Eddie Howe making a dramatic return to the club and quickly piloting the club up the table.

Veteran James kept his place, making 19 appearances for the club in total until losing his spot to Jalal again, before new signing Ryan Allsop eventually became the club's first choice keeper by the end of the season.

James did not see out the season with Cherries, leaving by mutual consent in March 2013, before linking up with former Portsmouth teammate Hermann Hreidarsson in a player-coach role at Icelandic outfit IBV.

Reflecting on his time at Cherries in a conversation on the BBC's That Peter Crouch Podcast, James said: "At Bournemouth Eddie Howe, who I love, had taken over.

"We were climbing up League One, fantastic.

"I had a clause in my contract, like many people do when you get to a certain age, 'if you can play this many games then we'll re-sign you'.

"Eddie pulls me in a room and he goes, 'Dave, I've got a problem with your contract. I won't be needing you next season, because we've just signed Ryan Allsop, but there's this clause in your contract'. I said 'don't worry, not a problem, take it out'.

"He said, 'I'm not dropping you, you can play until the end of the season'.

"Next game, we go to Walsall, lost 3-1.

"Now the three goals weren't my fault. One of them was a foul and with VAR, they would've seen that and we might've lost 2-1, we might've drawn, whatever.

"Eddie pulls me in on the Monday, 'David I won't be requiring you anymore this season. If you want to do anything else, that's up to you'.

"It was the nicest sacking I've ever had! I literally walked out of his office and went, he's just sacked me! Okay, cool, how nice was that.

"I get this phonecall, it's Hermann. He says 'Jamo, how are you?'. I said 'I've just been sacked by Bournemouth'.

"He says 'you're coming over to Iceland to be my assistant manager'.

"And then I went off to Iceland for six months."