Eddie had the nicest way of sacking me!
DAVID James has revealed Eddie Howe’s sacking of the ex-England international during his time at Bournemouth was the “nicest” he had ever received.
Signed prior to Howe’s return to Bournemouth, James spent six months with the Cherries during the 2012/2013 season, making 19 appearances. Howe returned to Bournemouth in October 2012, following a stint with Burnley. He had previously helped Bournemouth to Football League survival in 2008/2009 campaign, with the Cherries facing a 17-point deficit.
And speaking on the ‘That Peter Crouch Podcast’, James recalled the time that Howe, who he admits he loved, sacked him in the “nicest” manner possible.
“I had a clause in my contract like many people do when you get to a certain age, if you can play this many games we’ll resign you, whatever,” explained James.
“Eddie calls me into the room and says ‘we’ve got a problem with your contract, I won’t be needing you next season because we’ve just signed Ryan Allsop.’
“I said, don’t worry, take it out [the clause], yeah OK, cool. He said ‘I’m not dropping you, you’ll play till the end of the season.’ Next game we go to Walsall, lost 3-1.
“Now, the three goals weren’t my fault. One of them was a foul and with VAR they would have seen that and we might have lost 2-1, we might have drawn, whatever.
“Eddie pulls me in on the Monday and says ‘David, I won’t be requiring you any more this season.
“‘If you want to do anything else that’s up to you’ and it was the nicest sacking that I’ve ever had!
“I walked out of his office and went ‘the f ***** ’s just sacked me, OK.’
“I was like, ‘OK, cool, how nice was that?!’”