Daniels's Diary: 'This was the trophy I always wanted to win'

THIS past Saturday marks five years since we lifted the Championship trophy.

I watched the repicked feed on the AFCB website and it brought back so many great memories.

I remember going into the dressing room and it being the most relaxed atmosphere I’ve seen before a match, compared with the previous Monday against Bolton with all the anxiety, nerves and excitement we had.

We knew the hardest part was accomplished and needed some help from Sheffield Wednesday but we all wanted to finish the season with a win.

This was the trophy I always wanted to win growing up for one reason. Whenever I went to my nan and grandad’s house during holidays, they had a VHS tape called ‘100 Years of the Football League’.

I used to watch it all the time and get a history of the game, from William ‘Fatty’ Foulke and Dixie Dean to Trevor Francis becoming the first £1million pound transfer.

Watching this for so many years made winning this trophy so important to me and being so close to getting my hands on it made me even more determined.

The game started just as we hoped and Matt Richie’s first goal typified our whole season.

It started with patient build up across the back four, Steve Cook then passed it to me and I made a first-time pass to Marc Pugh.

Pugh turned and drove forward with the ball and passed to Yann Kermorgant, who laid it to Matty, who fired a beautiful curling shot into the far corner.

This was a type of football that AFC Bournemouth have built up since Eddie Howe took over and was definitely a contender for goal of the season in our eyes.

The second goal by Harry Arter was typical from him. His determination and willingness to hunt down the ball was rewarded and after he won the ball back just outside Charlton box, he coolly slotted the ball past their goalkeeper.

I think it was a special goal for Harry, as he was released by Charlton and dropped down to non-league football with Woking. To then come back and score against them in a team that’s just been promoted to the Premier League made the day a little bit sweeter.

Going in at half-time 2-0 up, most of the team were asking about the Watford versus Sheffield Wednesday score. Watford were winning 1-0, so it was a little subdued in the dressing room but we knew just one goal could change everything!

Second half was very much the same as the first and we had a lot of possession and created many chances.

Matt Ritchie scored another which sealed the win but everyone on and off the pitch was waiting for news from Vicarage Road.

When we heard a cheer from some of the fans, we were asking each other on the pitch – ‘have Wednesday scored?!’.

Players were looking over to the bench seeking clarification but then the whole 4,000 travelling fans started cheering and then we knew!

I remember those last few minutes. There was Tommy Elphick punching the air, Matt Ritchie screaming “YES”. Me, Steve Cook, Andrew Surman, Dan Gosling high-fiving, all while the game was still playing.

Looking over at the bench and seeing everyone up celebrating with each other, seeing the fans singing was a really special moment and one I don’t know if I will get again in my career!

The scenes that followed the final whistle were epic. All staff and players on the pitch congratulating each other, fans singing the theme tune to Match of the Day and everyone trying to see their friends and families in the crowd.

Then, getting up on the winners’ podium, which for a lot of us was our first time, Tommy Elphick getting handed the trophy to lift above his head and finally, after so much hard work, to say ‘we are the champions!’.

WHAT A DAY!!!!!

The celebrations went well into the night and a few weeks after but for us as players and as a club this was something that deserved to be celebrated for a while. For a football club to come from near brink of extinction to the Premier League in a short space of time is remarkable and is down to everyone.

This club is a family club, as many fans put their own money to save it and we will never forget that!

The squad that Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall built from League One through to the Premier League I believe is the best AFC Bournemouth has had in their lifetime and it is all down to hard work, perseverance, squad unity, confidence, trust and quality.

I believe there are many players in lower leagues who can play in the Premier League but get overlooked, I hope we have made other teams notice that there are players good enough and just need a chance.

YOUR QUESTIONS

What advice would you give to a young footballer? From Archie Roe.

I’d say the first thing is to practice as much as you can, enjoy practicing not only your strengths but your weaknesses as well.

Second thing is to just enjoy playing. Don’t put any pressure on yourself.

If you weren’t a footballer, what would you have been? From Jane Fielden.

I would have probably worked in London as growing up just on the outskirts, I reckon where my mum worked.

If you have any questions that you would like me to answer or anything you would like me to write about, please send them to: 

Email: sport@bournemouthecho.co.uk

Instagram: @chazdaniels11

Twitter: @chazdaniels13

Stay safe,

Charlie Daniels.