'I Still Pinch Myself!' Bournemouth Ambassador Steve Fletcher talks The Cherries Journey to Europe!

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Bournemouth ambassador Steve Fletcher on the Cherries' journey to Europe

Bournemouth ambassador Steve Fletcher reflects on the club's journey from fighting for survival to European football, discusses the challenge facing new manager Marco, Alex Scott's England prospects and Bournemouth's push to build a fanbase in America. He calls the story a fairy tale worth cherishing while stressing that everyone must stay level-headed and keep dealing with new challenges.

Bournemouth's All-time appearance maker Steve Fletcher & now Club Ambassador Steve Fletcher sat down with talkSPORT's Alex Crook & spoke about the journey The Cherries have been on to get to this point ahead of their first ever European home game! Filmed 19th August 2026 Subscribe: https://youtube.com/c/talkSPORT?subconfirmation=1 Enjoyed this YouTube video? 😍 🖥️ talkSPORT's Website: https://talksport.com/ 📲 talkSPORT's X/Twitter: https://x.com/talkSPORT 📷 talkSPORT's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talksport/?hl=en 👤 talkSPORT's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talkSPORT/ 📱 talkSPORT's Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talksport ? 🔴 Download the talkSPORT app HERE! - https://talksport.com/apps/ 🔎 Want to see if you feature on our YouTube channel? Check out our Best talkSPORT callers playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFVMnSsi04LGLa9pS9xDvme-Gjmlu2 talksport premierleague bournemouth

Transcript

Fletch, if I told you when you scored that goal against Grimby, to keep the club in the football league, to keep the club from going out of business, here we are x amount of years later, Bournemouth are going to be playing European football. They're going to be playing in the same competition as the likes of AC Milan and Benfica. What would you have said? >> Yeah, 17 years have passed and you could only think about that one moment at the time and saving the club and keeping everybody's jobs. Um, and the players as well. A lot of players would have there's a lot of young lads in that team and they probably wouldn't have went on to have good careers cuz season after when we got promoted half that team went on and got good moves to the to the championship. Um, a lot of those younger players might not have been a professional footballer. So you but you just can't foresee that at the time. You just play I was 36 at the time. I was right at the end of my career although I carried on till I was nearly 41. But you just go from game to game. I mean, 17 years later and we in Europe talking about those teams you just mentioned. Um, it's incredible, isn't it? And I don't care how much of a diehard fan you could be at Bournemouth, you still have to pinch yourself. Nobody could have even remotely foreseen what you know laid ahead for us, never mind getting promoted the next season, then getting in the championship, two years in the champ, winning it, and then five years in the Prem, back in the champ for two, and then back up again and breaking all sorts of records. And now we're in Europe. I mean, it is a fairy tale, isn't it? They should be making a Hollywood movie. I think of uh what's happened here at AFC Bournemouth. It's just incredible. And every fan, I always say, just cherish it. Enjoy it. You know, every moment of it, good or bad, indifferent, it doesn't matter. You know, I take them back to >> 15, 20 years ago, even further, when when I arrived in 1992 as a player and some of the horrible journeys they had to make. Um, but they love it. They still remind me of it and they say, "I love going to Aington on a Tuesday night or up to Oldm Athletic or Rodale and was a nil nil draw, but we had such good fun and and they can talk about going to Etiad now and Old Trafford and Anfield and the Emirates. It's but that's our fan base, you know, they never forget where we come from. They still remind us of the old days because without them, you probably wouldn't cherish what we have now as much." I was going to say the sansi does feel a long way from scumthorp for example. [laughter] >> Yeah. Listen and but you know what I think everybody at this football club and that's the new people who've come in the American owners everybody who's come across from America to be part of this football club and and the journey we've been on. I think everybody has a reality check and realizes this isn't normal for AFC Bournemouth. It's not the norm. I hope it is and long may it continue of course but everybody you know is level-headed and of course it would be brilliant if we could pull one of the the big European giants and it would be a you know a history making well it will be history making no matter who we play but if we could go to one of those games and all our fans go and just look around and think wow you know cherish it enjoy it embrace it there's a lot of people supported this club over the years who've passed away and children who may have never seen seen us playing Premier League than mine in Europe. So yeah, for me it's uh dayto-day I just never forget where we were, where we've come from and to think we playing in Europe is something obviously I could never have dreamed of mind these fans who've supported the club for decades and decades, hundreds of years. Um yeah, it's fantastic for everyone involved >> and it's important I think to have people like you around the club in in your ambassadorial role. You've got Matt Richie who's just come back as technical director to sort of remind even new signings I guess where the club has come come from. Do do you speak to the new players about the journey that this club has built on over the last couple of decades? >> Yes. Um I do and the sporting director Thiago Pinto um usually gets me to pick the players up or look after them while they come to the performance center obviously the new training ground and speak to them speak to the agents but they do watch a video of the club. We do a different one every year and they look at the history and where we were, where we've come from so they can, you know, embracing what what where we've been and the journey we've been on and we're not just oh there we are AFC Bournemouth Premier League club. You need to know this is this is what we you know nearly happened was we went out of nearly went out of existence on a couple of occasions. We've been administration twice. We got deducted minus 17 points back in 2009. Obviously the we spoke about scoring the goal um to save the club. So we want the players who arrive at this football club to know the journey and then they can buy into it. Um because I think we are very unique in that way. We do things very much different here at AFC Bournemouth and the bigger teams do for obvious reasons you would um probably because of where we've come from and so it's nice that the players know that and obviously it takes time. You can't fill them with too much information too quick. But a lot of players, you know, and agents now and and people involved it, even the new manager, Marco Rosa, he come in and he knew about the history. You can obviously with the internet now and everything that we never had back in the day and information available at your fingertips, you can find out a lot about a football club. And I think it's great that players do and agents do and managers do. and then when they come into the football club they know a little bit about the history and where they've been and the journey they've been on and for us it's imperative that that happens because I think that's the big plus for us. You mentioned the change of manager obviously and only a very difficult act to follow but you're confident in your dealings with Marco Rosa what you've seen in preseason what you've seen day in day out on the training ground that it can be another successful year. >> We hope so. everybody does. And obviously it was it well it was interesting because we we played a few preseason games and scored a few goals and we were sat at lunch and I always sit with Marco uh at lunch and he picks my brains and I chat to him and we're a similar age. I'm a little bit older but um he knows a lot about the football club. He's obviously done his homework and it's great and he calls me legend and I love it. And it's not that I get called that cuz I don't, but he does. And if the manager wants to call me that, you know, I I have a bit of a joke with him about it. And he said, "Fletch, preseason's great." E, he said, "But zero points on the board." So, he knows, you know, the magnitude of what's ahead. Um, it's great winning games in preseason, but he's right, zero points on the board. You've got to go and produce it once the season starts. And yes, it's a very hard act to follow. Of course, Andoni was here for three seasons. He kept breaking his own record. He broke Eddie Har's record of points. Obviously, one of my best mates in football. Um, my best mates in general. Eddie, obviously I grew up with Eddie. Watched him come through the in the youth ranks and into the first team. We room together and and only, you know, then broke his own record of the season after and then again last season and got us into Europe. So, it's a big hard act to follow. It doesn't matter who it is coming to this football club, but he's he's embraced everything. Marco, and as a person, I couldn't really speak highly enough of him. He's come in with his team. There's about six or seven of them and every morning they go around every person and say hello and want to know everyone's story. Whether you're a groundsman, you're a chef, you work in the media, or you're Steve Fletcher, he wants to speak to everyone and gives everyone a bit of time. Um, and I think that speaks volumes from from the person he is. Um, but like you said, you've got to go and produce now, hasn't he? And I don't think it people are looking at him saying he's got to go and emulate what Andoni did. He's got to be his own man. He knows this. He's been a manager for a good time now and he's had a lot of success. So he'll come into this football club, he'll he'll know the understanding and how it works and the one thing that he's got that no no other manager has had is Europe. So only got us into Europe, but obviously he's gone to Liverpool. Marco's come in and he's got a job in hand that no other manager has ever had. >> You know, it's it's a milestone for us. the first time we've ever been in Europe or touched Europe and we played some preseason games in the past and that's >> I remember Real Madrid coming down here. >> Yeah, they came down and we didn't touch the ball for [laughter] about 88 minutes of the night and scored six past us. But yeah, so he's got that obviously to to contend with on top of the Premier League and the Cup game. So listen, he's a great man and I'm sure he's got a plan along with Thiago and and the football club. Um, but it's a tough ask because like I say, it's unprecedented for us to be in this situation because it's the first time ever we've been in Europe. So, everything's new. >> I guess the key thing this summer is unlike last summer, you've managed so far touchwood to keep hold of your your top talent. Alex Scott in particular has had suits maybe a bit unlucky to miss out on the England squad. Do you see him as someone who can cement a place in the England team and go on and play in the Champions League? >> Yeah, I think it was very unfortunate not to be part of that squad. He was obviously on standby and traveled with the team in the early parts of the World Cup, but he's got to grab that and use that as very, you know, very positively and that's his aim surely to get to try and touch into that squad because some fantastic players in midfield. Um, but he he was magnificent for us last season. Um, you know, he got a lot of publicity and a lot of applauded and rightly so, but he's got to do it again because that was the first season he'd really cemented one. cemented his position in the team because he had to play second fiddle a few times the season before when he came in from Bristol City and he was learning his trade, he was learning the league because very different to the championship, you know. Um but you know, you talk about someone who's come in and and took his opportunity. Um I haven't seen many better in an AFC Bulmer shirt and rightly so he's getting a lot a lot of air time. He's on every social media platform talking about Alex Scott. But you know the best thing about it is he doesn't talk about it here. >> He just gets on with it. He's not letting it go to his head. He's not one of those players who lets it affect his football. If anything, it's probably given himself self drive to prove everybody, yeah, I am that player that everybody wants to talk about, but he does it quietly. He does it by talking on the pitch. He doesn't really mention much in interviews. And imagine he's had so much publicity of late. And I think that's a credit to him the way he is as a person. Um, and listen, we don't want to lose people AFC bombs, but we have in the past. We know that, you know, it wasn't long ago we lost three of the back four, Milos Kirkers, Dean H, and Zabani. They all went to huge clubs. Real Madrid, Liverpool, PSG, Antoine Semeno to Man City. Now, we're not selling these players to our rival clubs in the Premier League, which you could probably look at teams like, you know, like Brenford, Forest, Fulham, etc. These are going to the giants of European football. So, we should be proud of that as a football club and it's just the nature of the beast. When somebody comes into Bournemouth and does really well, um, unfortunately the big boys start looking and when the big boys start looking, sometimes there's not much you can do about it. Obviously, I'm not involved in the ins and outs of how it all works. But obviously being in football for nearly 40 years, I understand the processes. >> But listen, that's the football club we are. And you know, if Alex stays, it's magnificent for us. if he goes then like the other players we've mentioned have then you know we have to deal with and somebody else has got to come in and fill the boots of Alex Scott or Krooppy or Evan Nilson or whoever we're talking about and that's just the way the football club is. Um, but I think it's a credit to everyone at this club, including the recruitment department and the technical director, sporting director, the owner, everything that we're actually mentioning this because we're selling players for 50, 60 million plus and obviously >> there's even bigger margins when you're talking about the players I've just mentioned because some of the numbers that are getting thrown around is crazy. Um, but that's the market of today and that's just something we've got again with and like I say, it's the nature of the beast here at Bournemouth. They have it at Brighton. They have it at other clubs. We've just got to be ready for when it does happen that, you know, we can have somebody come in and take their opportunity. And I think that's the way it'll be for for a while yet at this football club. And as long as we can have a good recruitment department and we finding players like Ryan and the crewies um before other teams do, I think that's a credit to everyone involved on that side of the business. >> Just a final one. Um, I know part of your role is spreading the name of the club in America. Obviously, we've got an American owner here in Bill Foley who's done a terrific job. He's built this training ground. Ju just talk us through how you go about that in terms of making AFC Bournemouth a global brand. >> Yeah, I first and foremost I I love my role as as ambassador. Um, I think playing is the best thing in the world. I enjoyed the coaching for eight years under Eddie under Scott Parker Gary O'Neal. Um I think the next best thing is is doing the role I do because it's so diverse is so many opportunities that even in just in Bournemouth being around the players taking them to events representing the club going into businesses partnerships um being a spokesman for the club known the club for the 34 years that I've been here and the journey we've been on. I can talk about it um because I've lived it. But going to America is another thing and obviously without with having the American owner Bill Foley um we do a lot over in different states, different cities and I love traveling. I think my wife likes it more because she gets rid of me for a few days or a long weekend. But um yeah, I've been all over. I mean he Bill Foley's based in in Las Vegas. That's where he's from. Um he's got the Las Vegas Golden Knights which is the ice hockey team. Um, so I go over there quite a little bit, which worst places to be. >> There is. Um, my wife always says to me, "When are you next in Vegas?" I think she's looking forward to it more than I am. Um, and then I go for the NBC Premier League mornings live. We do two different cities every every season. Uh, I've been to Kansas City, been to Tampa. I'm going back to Tampa for the Premier League in a few days. There's talking about Denver, San Francisco. They do different cities, you know, twice a season. So I have that as well and I love going over because I'm building the brand. I'm building supporters. Of course we're not going to compete against the Man United's, Liverpools, Arsenals, Chelsea's of this world because the fan bases are huge globally, but we can build our own fan base in America and we are slowly but surely. Um because I see the amount of fans that come to these events and it's building and building and they love the story. The Americans love the story of the fairy tale of the underdog coming through the ranks, coming promoted because remember over there in every sport they don't have, you know, promotion and relegation. Um they they love the story behind that. And I'm trying to promote that and build it and getting those fans who might look elsewhere to support a club to support AFC Bournemouth. And I say look, go on social media, go on the internet, go on YouTube, etc. Look at the story. There's loads of videos about the football club and where we were and where what we've become and the journey. Um, and they buy into it and they're great and I love being over there. Listen, there's not much rivalry in soccer. Um, I go to some of the events and they love everything to do with football. I remember one bloke at one of the events, he had four different shirts on and every time a game come on the screen, [laughter] he just whip one shirt off and the other ones underneath. But you have to embrace that. It's brilliant. Um, and and I like I say, I I love going along and representing this football club and telling everyone about the history and about the story. And long may that continue.