SO it's all change at Cherries again with Jimmy Quinn replacing Kevin Bond as boss this week.

I wrote in this column in October 2006 after Bond had been appointed that it was a massive gamble putting someone who had not gained any Football League managerial experience into the Dean Court hot seat.

What bothered me then was that Bond, a highly-rated coach who had been on the backroom staff at Southampton, Portsmouth, Newcastle, Manchester City and West Ham, had never been in sole control of a club before except at non-league Stafford Rangers.

Even then, that brief eight-month stint in the Dr Martens League Midland Division was eight years before his Cherries appointment.

It gives me no joy to say my fears have been proved right.

As a keen AFC Bournemouth observer in this job since 1995, I would much rather Bond had succeeded instead of taking them down to League Two.

The crippling 10 and 17-point deductions imposed on the club by the Football League for financial reasons clearly didn't help him.

But a lack of any real experience of managing a Football League club was probably a bigger hindrance, despite Bond's big book of top name contacts including the likes of Harry Redknapp, Jim Smith and his own father John Bond.

In appointing another former Cherries player, Quinn, in Bond's place, the club is going down a familiar path.

It means nine out of the 11 AFC Bournemouth managers since 1973, including the former Northern Ireland international striker, have worn their red and black colours as a player.

That connection always goes down well with the Dean Court faithful.

But Cherries' new owners, Alastair Saverimutto and Paul Baker, have been more astute than just bringing back an old face to try and win over the fans.

This time they've actually been able to bring someone to the club with a lot more managerial pedigree than just a promise of hard graft and a wing and a prayer as former chairman Abdul Jaffer did with Bond 24 months ago.

True, Quinn, who cracked 24 goals in 54 games for Cherries when they were in the old Division Three in 1991-92, has an up and down track record as manager.

But, if Cherries aren't able to overturn their 17-point deficit this season and do slip into the non-League for the first time since 1923, he has proved he can do a great job at Conference level if required.

After all, in 2004 he took Shrewsbury back into League Two at the first attempt when they won the play-off final 3-0 on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Aldershot to gain promotion alongside champions Chester.

Then, barely four months ago, he was on the verge of doing it again with Cambridge United, agonisingly seeing his side beaten 1-0 by Exeter at Wembley in the play-off final, so missing out on promotion to League Two before quitting the club.

On the minus side, Quinn has tasted failure at Swindon, losing his job after taking them down from the old Division One in 2000 when severe financial restraints made it almost impossible to keep them up.

But his managerial positives seem to far outweigh the negatives, especially if you consider he must be one of the unluckiest managers ever in English football after Reading missed out on a Premier League place in 1995.

Under the joint player-managership of Quinn and Mick Gooding, the Royals finished second in the old Division One, which would normally have been enough to take them up.

However, 1995-96 was the season that the Premier League reduced its numbers from 22 to 20, so only champions Middlesbrough were automatically promoted.

Reading, only three points adrift of 'Boro, lost 4-3 to Bolton after extra time in the play-offs.

So, cruelly, they are the only team to finish runners-up in English football's second tier and not get promoted.

It's Quinn's experience in the rarefied atmosphere of the old Division One - or the Championship as it is called now - both as a player and manager, that appeals to me.

That and the Ulsterman's 11 years as an international during which he won 48 caps and scored 12 goals.

Doubtless, Quinn will enjoy a brief honeymoon period. But, with Cherries still on minus 15 points, the clock is already ticking fast.

So let's hope he can build on Cherries' welcome 3-0 midweek home win over Bristol Rovers in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy straight away at Notts County in League Two today.