This is Howe we do it: Bournemouth get off to a flyer

They say never meet your heroes and never appoint a club legend as manager.

But AFC Bournemouth's appointment of Eddie Howe is starting to smell of roses. Howe was given the job at Dean Court on a permanent basis in January 2009 after two games as caretaker following the sacking of Jimmy Quinn, under whom Howe had been assistant.

After looking dead and buried, the Cherries escaped relegation despite a 17-point penalty. Steve Fletcher, another legend at the club, scored the goal which secured survival and tied Howe into Bournemouth folklore forever.

The former Parley Sports defender played over 250 matches for Bournemouth between 1994 and 2007. He was sold to Portsmouth in 2002 but a couple of nasty injuries severely limited his appearances at Fratton Park and he found himself, via a zero-appearance loan spell at Swindon Town, back at Dean Court on loan in 2004.

In November that year, Howe rejoined the club on a free transfer. He was a true fans' signing: following an appeal by the chairman, supporters raised over £13,000 in two days. He played for the club until 2007, when he retired from the game through injury (source: Wikipedia).

After a stint as player-coach under Kevin Bond, Howe was sacked along with his boss and then brought back by Quinn. Months later, it was Howe's time to shine.

In 21 games last season, Howe's Bournemouth won 12 and drew three, an amazing success rate at a struggling club. The Cherries escaped what had, at several points during the campaign, seemed a certain relegation.

But I was unsure about this year and I'm delighted that Howe looks set to prove me wrong. I thought that with the siege mentality of last season gone, and the takeover of the club showing little sign of dramatically improving its situation, Bournemouth would suffer. Howe, brilliant though he was last year, remains unproven in "normal" circumstances. Sure, he might turn out to be the next Mourinho. But it's unlikely.

At least it was unlikely. Eddie Howe has led Bournemouth to a perfect start in League Two in the new season, picking up three wins from three. One-goal wins over Rotherham United and Aldershot followed the Cherries' stunning opening day win away at Bury and the mood at Dean Court appears to be overwhelmingly positive.

If success in the face of adversity and the ability to hit the ground running are the signs of a bright young manager, we'll be seeing plenty of Eddie Howe over the next couple of decades.