BOSS Kevin Bond is urging the Dean Court faithful to set aside talk of "other issues" as Cherries look to turn around their wretched start to the season.

Bond is asking supporters to unite behind the team as Cherries bid to climb off the foot of League One by breaking their home duck against Walsall on Saturday.

On-field matters have taken a back seat this week as Bond's position has come under the spotlight following Cherries' dreadful opening to the new campaign.

Bond told the Daily Echo last night: "All my efforts this week have been set on trying to beat Walsall and that is the only thing that has been on my mind. I've been looking at which players we'll have available, what we're up against and trying to pick a team to win.

"This is about AFC Bournemouth and all the supporters want to do is to see us win. While some people might not be armed with all the finer points and mitigating circumstances as to why we are in this unfortunate situation, the whys and wherefores don't come into it.

"Given that, the best way that they can help is by turning up and giving their support to the players and getting right behind them on Saturday. I now it might sound a cliché, but it is absolutely true. The more support and backing the players have, the more likely they are to be able to play with confidence and that's really all I can ask of the supporters.

"For a couple of hours, let any other issues be set aside and let everybody concentrate on trying to get what we all want, which is a win."

Despite coming under increasing pressure from a section of supporters, Bond says he cannot allow the speculation regarding his future to be uppermost in his thoughts.

"I haven't thought about anything else but the game," he said. "I don't sit at home and think about (speculation surrounding) my job. I make phone calls about our team, about who we've got, about who we could get in and about how we can find a way to win on Saturday."

Although Cherries registered a Johnstone's Paint Trophy win over Walsall at Dean Court in September, Bond's troops have mustered a solitary point from six home league games this season.

And while some fans called for Bond's head for the first time during last week's defeat at Millwall, any disquiet among home supporters has been kept to a minimum.

"I haven't got a shred of complaint about the support we've had so far," said Bond. "It's only natural for numbers to go down if results go against you and that's when you need more support. But I understand it doesn't work like that and it's a vicious circle.

"At a time like this, when things aren't going as well as we would like, numbers dwindles and that makes it that little bit harder. That's not making an excuse, that's the reality of the situation. We've dug ourselves a hole and we've got to get ourselves out of it, which I'm sure we will."

  • Chairman Jeff Mostyn declined to comment to the Echo when contacted by us yesterday. Chief executive Laurence Jones also chose to make no official statement when contacted by the Echo yesterday.