Cherries: Quinn blown away by the rise of Tubbs (From Thisisdorset)

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Cherries: Quinn blown away by the rise of Tubbs

7:00am Saturday 4th February 2012 in Sport

FORMER boss Jimmy Quinn labelled Matt Tubbs’s big-money move "mind-blowing" and told Cherries: "You could have had him for nothing."

Boss Lee Bradbury smashed the Dean Court transfer record to sign Tubbs from Crawley Town on Monday, for a package understood to be worth in the region of £800,000.

The deal left Quinn stunned – not least because he had wanted to sign the striker for free during his brief stint in the Dorset club’s hot-seat.

Quinn recruited Tubbs on loan from Salisbury City in November 2008 and had been keen to make the deal permanent.

But with Cherries in financial difficulties under the previous ownership of Sport-6, Quinn was unable to bring in the Verwood-raised frontman and the club did not follow up their interest after Quinn had been sacked on New Year’s Eve 2008.

Quinn, now manager of Nantwich Town in the Evo-stik Northern Premier, recalled: "I wanted to sign Matt full-time but it didn’t work out.

"I find it mind-blowing that he has gone for as much as he has as Bournemouth could have had him for nothing.

"He was only on about £600 a week at the time and they could hardly pay the wages."

Tubbs had played against Quinn’s Cambridge United in the Conference the season before joining him for six weeks at Dean Court.

Quinn said: "I already knew all about Matt before he arrived on loan. He has always been a terrific goalscorer and he wanted to know if there was any chance of him staying until the end of the season.

"I wanted to keep him but with the club being in a bit of trouble and wages not being paid, I couldn’t give him an answer.

"I had a meeting on New Year’s Eve which I thought would be about the possibility of money to spend in the window, only to be told I was no longer required. Unfortunately, Matt was left in limbo."

Eddie Howe, another of Verwood’s favourite sons and Quinn’s replacement in the Cherries hot-seat, opted not to sign Tubbs.

Former Northern Ireland international Quinn, 52, believes Tubbs has improved and has the qualities to fire Cherries into the Championship.

He added: "Eddie did a terrific job but I would have definitely kept Matt on.

"If there is one thing I know about it is strikers and Matt has a little bit of everything.

"He scores different types of goals – tap-ins, overhead kicks, headers and volleys, in and outside the area, from all angles.

"Matt has improved since then (his loan stint at Dean Court). Hopefully, he’ll give them a good return over the next few years.

"Bournemouth is a fantastic club. I was just disappointed to only have four months there – there is not a lot you can do in that amount of time, especially as they were on minus 15 points when I took over.

"But with the financial backing they have now, I don’t see why Matt can’t help them into the Championship."

• The Verwood footballer production line... see Monday’s Daily Echo.

Comments(33)

TC Cherry Boi says...
9:22am Sat 4 Feb 12

What is this trying to prove?? You were an awful manager and saying you would of signed tubbsy for nothing doesn't make u a good one! You couldn't even mastermind a win over Blyth with two bights of the cherry ( pardon the pun )