AS a player, Eddie Howe has been something of a League Cup lucky charm for Cherries. As the club’s manager, he has yet to break his duck in the competition.

Howe’s finest hour came when he netted the winning penalty as Cherries triumphed 7-6 following an epic shootout against Premier League Blackburn in September 2004.

On loan from Portsmouth, Howe settled the second round tie at Ewood Park after goals from Garreth O’Connor, Karl Broadhurst and John Spicer had earned Cherries a 3-3 draw.

Howe also lined up in the third round, although there was to be no repeat for Sean O’Driscoll’s heroes as Cardiff won 5-4 on spot-kicks after the teams had battled out an absorbing 3-3 draw at Dean Court.

Just a month later, the popular defender rejoined Cherries permanently after chairman Peter Phillips had launched Eddie Share, a scheme which saw supporters’ donations help fund his return to the club.

“It was a memorable night at Blackburn,” said Howe, speaking to the Daily Echo ahead of Cherries’ first round clash with Portsmouth tonight (7.45pm).

“It was a night I remember very well and one I always will. It was a fantastic spectacle for the neutral and there was some really good football played by both teams.

“We were a very small club at the time and, to go to Blackburn and win, albeit on penalties, will live long in the memory for a lot of people. To be a part of it and to have played will always be special to me.”

During his first playing spell at Dean Court, Howe had also tasted success in the League Cup as Cherries reached the third round in successive seasons under Mel Machin in 1998 and 1999.

Ever present in both cup runs, Howe was on target in a 2-0 win over Colchester at Dean Court in August 1998 before Steve Fletcher and Mark Stein scored in the second leg at Layer Road as Cherries won through 4-3 on aggregate.

Stein then inspired Cherries to a memorable second round triumph over big guns Wolves, the striker bagging all three goals as Machin’s men followed up a 1-1 home draw with a stunning 2-1 victory at Molineux where the late Mark Ovendale starred between the sticks for the visitors.

Stein notched Cherries’ consolation when they exit at Barnsley in the third round and continued his rich vein of form in the competition the following season when his double helped them see off Barnet at the first hurdle.

A solid rearguard action, with Howe a mainstay of the Cherries defence, saw them hold Charlton to two 0-0 draws in the second round, with a 3-1 penalty shootout victory at Dean Court setting up a trip to Premier League West Ham, which they lost 2-0.

As manager, Howe presided over successive first round exits at Millwall in 2009 and Southampton in 2010 as Cherries’ dismal recent record in the competition continued.

Since emerging triumphant at Ewood Park, Cherries have reached the second round only twice in the past eight seasons, having made the third round just eight times in the history of the competition.

The club’s best run came in 1961-62 and 1963-64 when they made the fourth round.

Howe, who reached the last 16 with Burnley two years ago, said: “It would be nice to improve our record and I am not sure quite why we haven’t done too well in this competition. I think it is one you always want to do well in and everyone is very competitive in English football and wants to win.”