FOR Cherries boss Lee Bradbury, the past 12 months have been more annus mirabilis than annus horribilis.

Appointed a year ago, initially on a caretaker basis, Bradbury has experienced more ups and downs than a lift engineer.

But while he may not choose to look back with undiluted pleasure, Bradbury can certainly look forward to a bright new era.

Despite the trials and tribulations of his first 12 months in the hot-seat, Bradbury’s class of 2012 must fill him with optimism and encouragement.

Chairman Eddie Mitchell and the Dean Court board took a huge gamble when they turned to Bradbury to replace Burnley-bound Eddie Howe.

With no previous managerial experience and Cherries in the thick of a promotion battle, the decision could well have had disastrous consequences.

But aided by fellow rookie Steve Fletcher, Bradbury proceeded to finish the job started by Howe when he guided Cherries to the League One play-offs.

Unexpected and against the odds, it was an incredible achievement and, although Cherries fell at the penultimate hurdle, in truth, they had won the Grand National.

Bradbury’s next assignment was perhaps more testing – to rebuild a squad capable of mounting another promotion push after the previous one had been dismantled.

To put it mildly, the foundations were unstable as Cherries slumped to second-from-bottom after losing six of their opening seven matches.

Bradbury and chairman Mitchell both came under fire and supporters were hardly appeased by fanciful notions that the Championship was still within range.

Despite calls for Bradbury’s head from some quarters, Mitchell steadfastly stuck to his guns, refusing to buckle or waver in the face of mounting pressure.

A builder by trade, Mitchell handed Bradbury the tools and ballast to significantly strengthen his squad, with several additions arriving to help stop the rot.

Mitchell also persuaded Maxim Demin to come aboard, the wealthy Russian businessman choosing to keep a low profile since buying a 50 per cent stake in the club.

With the unequivocal backing of his chairman and board, Bradbury has turned the tide, his reward an improved three-and-a-half year contract.

“I didn’t think twice about accepting,” said Bradbury, whose win ratio as Cherries manager increased to 37.5 per cent following Saturday’s come-from-behind victory over Notts County.

“It is an absolute pleasure to be the manager of this football club and for the board to put their faith in me to take it forward is fantastic.”

Bradbury, now the 52nd longest-serving manager in the country, started his permanent reign with back-to-back home league wins and repeated the feat for the first time since with victory against County coming on the back of a win against Wycombe.

“I have been through a lot since I became manager,” said the 36-year-old. “It has been a steep learning curve but a really enjoyable one. I think the wrinkles show that!”

Asked whether the current squad was as good as the one he inherited, Bradbury replied: “Potentially, it could be. Given time, this team could be as good, if not better.”

Goals from Wes Thomas and Wes Fogden ensured Cherries would continue to turn the tables on Notts County after Hamza Bencherif’s rasping drive had given them an early lead.

Third in League One just three months ago – when Cherries were fifth bottom – County had arrived in Dorset with just one win in 11, while the hosts had lost once in the same period.

Cherries were on the back foot as early as the fifth minute when Algerian midfielder Bencherif unleashed a 30-yard piledriver past goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan.

It got worse for the hosts when skipper Adam Barrett perished after succumbing to a persistent hamstring injury, with Stephane Zubar utilised as a ninth-minute substitute.

However, parity was restored when Thomas was on hand to poke home the rebound after County goalkeeper Stuart Nelson had parried a Michael Symes effort into his path. It was his ninth goal in 17 league starts.

Quite how the two teams reached the break on level terms, only Jeff Hughes will know, County’s leading goalscorer fluffing his lines from six yards, hitting the crossbar when it looked easier to score.

Zubar, immense throughout, ensured County’s Lee Hughes, so often Cherries’ tormentor-in-chief, would not get a clear sight on goal and spared the Seward Stadium faithful that ridiculous celebratory jig.

Referee Steve Tanner failed to fall for Hughes’s theatrical dive under Zubar’s 55th-minute challenge in the penalty area before the big defender’s last-ditch tackle on Ishmel Demontagnac proved decisive.

Although County goalkeeper Nelson pulled off a top-drawer one-handed save to keep out Thomas’s glancing header, he was powerless to prevent Fogden from firing home the winner seven minutes from time.

The goal, a composed right-foot finish from the 23-year-old workaholic, owed much to a splendid run and display of nimble footwork from Shaun MacDonald, the south Walian teeing up Fogden with a precision assist.

Cherries (4-4-2): Flahavan 7, Francis 7.5, Barrett (Zubar, 9, 9), Cook 7.5, Daniels 7.5, Fogden 8, Arter 7 (MacDonald, 67), Purches 7, Pugh 8, Symes 7 (Fletcher, 76), Thomas 7.5.

Unused subs: Gregory, Jalal (g/k).

Magpies (4-4-2): Nelson, Freeman, Stewart, Chilvers, Harley, Judge (Burgess, 86), Bishop, Bencherif, J Hughes, Hawley (Demontagnac, h-t), L Hughes.

Unused subs: Edwards, Mahon, Mitchell (g/k).

Booked: Freeman.

Referee: Steve Tanner (Somerset).

Attendance: 6,529 (inc 289 away supporters).