CHAIRMAN Denis Eveleigh believes David Dunn deserves a lot of the credit for Bournemouth’s rise up the rugby ladder.

Director of rugby Dunn has led Lions to the highest level in their history by guiding them to National Three South West title glory this season.

That success sealed Bournemouth’s promotion to National Two South – with the club set to test themselves in the country’s fourth tier next term.

Retired businessman Eveleigh, a club member since moving to Bournemouth in 1975, thinks Dunn’s role has been crucial in Lions’ climb through the divisions.

He told the Daily Echo: “Dave has been a stalwart and he has been involved in the club for a significant number of years.

“He has seen us come through from the depths of Southern Counties to winning Southern Counties and getting further promotions.

“He has been a constant in our gradual improvement and our rise up through the leagues.

“I think a lot of what came to fruition on Saturday can be firmly laid at his door because of his organisation and the way he structured everything.

“He had experience of coaching at England Schools level previously.

“He is deputy head of Ballard School in New Milton and I think he brings the organisational skills of a qualified teacher to rugby.

“I think his structure and feel for the game have helped us enormously.”

Eveleigh thinks the spirit at the Chapel Gate club has been one of the secrets to the recent success – and he credits both Dunn and coach Tim Collier for providing the right environment for players.

Having narrowly missed out on promotion last season, many of the same men returned this time round to go one better.

Eveleigh, who is in his third stint as Bournemouth chairman, added: “There is a great spirit. That is the thing that comes through very clearly at the moment.

“The group of players and coaching staff are all very much together and they are playing for one another.

“We are not like a load of mercenaries and they just want to play for one another.

“I think a lot of the credit for that should go to Dave and Tim, in particular, for generating that sort of atmosphere.”