15th - Bournemouth

Whilst the Lutonians spent the entire season telling everyone that would possibly listen that they didn't deserve punishment for leaving administration without a CVA and that they didn't deserve punishment for breaking Football League rules with regards to agents, AFC Bournemouth simply accepted their lot and got on with the job in front of them.

It didn't go swimmingly for them, with the new owner Paul Baker finding things more difficult than expected and having to sack two managers before the 2008 bit of 2008-9 had even finished.

But give up they did not, and with Eddie Howe at the helm, they were able to put up enough form so that they comfortably avoided the drop with a couple of games to go. There were times when they looked dead and buried, but Howe had his side playing good stuff. As shown when they tore us apart 4-0 at their place.

And what a story it was for Howe. Take a Bournemouth player who has played all but two games of his professional career for Bournemouth and make him manager at a time when the club is facing the biggest on field crisis in its history.

Of course, he's going to pull it off, and chuck in the fact that is quoted everywhere about him being the youngest manager in the Football League and you've got a real success story. Of course, the pressure is on now for him to take it to the next stage, and with off the field issues still a concern, it might not be quite as easy for him to repeat his success second time around.

Indeed, recent years have shown that teams have been unable to build on the miraculous efforts to keep them in the Football League, and our much talked about momentum is over relied upon.  Many a side has done the great escape act one season, then found themselves unable to repeat those efforts the following season.

Perhaps it will be different for the Cherries as realistically, they were a 63 point side rather than a 46 point side last season which would have seen them finish around 10th had their not been the points deduction.

Howe will certainly have the backing of the supporters over the season, where any problems would no doubt be laid at the blame of the owners / previous owners / previous owners before the last ones.

But its been yet another Summer of turmoil for the Cherries - something which seems to affect them more than most. Due to financial issues, there has been a transfer embargo placed upon AFCB and they have been unable to add to their squad from last season Worryingly, there's been evidence that they're going to go all Luton with fan campaigns and blame shifted to previous regimes. Perhaps if AFCB just gave the Football League what they want, rather than play the sympathy card, then this can all be brought to an end.

With those restrictions in place, it's bound to be tough for them. Much will depend on young Brett Pitman who notched a hat trick against us earlier this year.  He grabbed 14 goals last time out and will be looking to build on that during 2009-10. He'll need to as other striking options seem a little limited. Alan Connell has struck me as a decent individual player, but he's never managed to fit into any side that he's played for. And Steve Fletcher is older than my mum, with Lee Bradbury not far behind him.

Relegation shouldn't be an issue. It'd be too easy to look at their avoidance of relegation and cast them for something similar. But a push for bigger and better things isn't on the menu. The embargo and financial issues will play too much of a part to turn things round, and last year's points penalty did them a slight favour in giving themselves something to aim for all season long. Without that, I can see them drifting through the last few weeks of the season with safety assured giving a lowly position.

A nice, safe, dull, excitement lacking season beckons.

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