Cherries: Loyal Cunningham deserved better

9:57pm Tuesday 5th March 2013 in Latest Sport Photograph of the Author By Neil Meldrum

THERE has never been much in the way of loyalty in football, on the field at least.

Players come and go, managers come and go. The only true constant in the game is the supporters.

Not so in the case of Mick Cunningham.

Mick is a lifelong fan of AFC Bournemouth, yes, but he has also dedicated more than 20 years of his working life to the club. Often in difficult circumstances.

That made news of his redundancy at Dean Court all more the baffling.

Supporters outraged by Cunningham’s departure should remember that business needs dictate in the current climate. One realist poster on Twitter suggested all companies need to “trim the fat” from their head count from time to time.

Mick Cunningham, though, is not part of the fat of AFC Bournemouth – he is part of its backbone. Part of its soul.

Whether a club full of new faces and fresh ideas was truly aware of the scale of Cunningham’s dedication and talent as club photographer and programme editor remains to be seen.

But they will soon realise just how much he contributed to the club he loves.

He worked for nothing during more turbulent times, driving mile after mile to away games with no guarantee he would see any money. He did it because he loves it and because it is part of his life. Deep down, he will still feel that way despite the news that greeted him when he turned up for work yesterday.

And now, with success potentially just around the corner and, apparently, financial stability surging through its veins, the club deems him surplus to requirements.

Another poster on Twitter suggested he would sacrifice any impending glories for a club he “actually liked”.

Those thoughts resonated today as hours passed without so much as a public ‘thank you’ issued from the Cherries PR machine for the years of graft from the seven people who appear to have lost their jobs.

They deserved better. Mick Cunningham deserved better.

Comments(15)

Court Side says...
10:08pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Well said Neil, probably just earnt yourself a petty Mitchell ban though.

Report this post »

Afcbpete says...
10:12pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Excellent piece Neil. I urge ALL AFCB fans to boycott buying programmes. Good Luck Mick, I hope you are able to sort something out very quickly. AFCB is a poorer club without the supporters having one of their own involved....

Report this post »

Court Side says...
10:14pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Nermina wrote:
Look this is Bournemouth Football club Very nasty Club Very Nasty Supporters and Soon it will be over ! No longer peoples 2nd fav team .
Shut up you village idiot

Report this post »

Nermina says...
10:15pm Tue 5 Mar 13

30 + PLAYERS on the football payroll who cant be got shot of. IMO this is the start of the break up of the football side of things .and the end up of AFCB

Report this post »

AFCBade says...
10:40pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Good article Neil , worth adding that mick was the key creator of the Afc Bournemouth exiles club in the mid 80's which in the pre Internet era was so vital in keeping fans of the cherries in touch with their club whilst living away from the town. After exiled he created the nt8502 fanzine which both entertained and informed fans. These achievements are just as key as his more formal work at the club for many older fans. Cheers Mick. As Neil says you deserve better.

Report this post »

pedalnottothemetal says...
10:58pm Tue 5 Mar 13

re nt8502 - who can forget the wriggly worms who lived at the Dull ? Mick's very own cartoon strip.

Report this post »

lionheart says...
11:19pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Good piece Neil and I second everything that's been said.

I don't want to be part of Edmund's new direction if it means casually tossing away loyal club ambassadors like Mick for the sake of a plush new car park.

Report this post »

bmb says...
11:27pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Well said Neil. Thank you Mick for all the wonderful photos, programs, fanzines and facts over the years. I echo all of the you deserved better comments.

Report this post »

Loo ~ AFCB says...
12:07am Wed 6 Mar 13

Spare a thought also for Tom Jeffes might not have been there as long but a thoroughly decent guy would worked tirelessly behind the scene trying to make AFCB a big part of the community! I wonder if EM or whoever made this decision even actually knew what he did for the club! If they didn't then shame on them and if did they're idiots!

Report this post »

Mike Oxbig says...
7:44am Wed 6 Mar 13

Well done Meldrum for putting your 2 pennies in.... Now go and watch the Scum.....

Report this post »

mark.s says...
9:03am Wed 6 Mar 13

Fair play to Meldrum for stating what many AFCB fans feel about Mick, a top guy who didn't deserve this.

Report this post »

Loyal2AFCB says...
3:52pm Wed 6 Mar 13

Now hang on a minute, when the club was last in administration there was an article published in the sports section that called for AFC Bournemouth to be liquidated. Which begs the question WHERE WAS YOUR CONCERN FOR THE CLUBS EMPLOYEES THEN?

Report this post »

Lew Swimmin says...
4:02pm Wed 6 Mar 13

I agree that this is a disgraceful way to treat someone who has done so much for the Club over a very long period, and best wishes to Mick in whatever he does in the future.

This has very strong echoes of the way that Joe Roach was treated, and leaves an extremely nasty taste in the mouth.

It has been stated that Mick and the others were made redundant, but it does not seem that they have been done so in a legal manner.

Firstly, it is not the person, but his post that is made redundant, and I cannot believe that AFCB no longer needs a programme editor.

Secondly, the staff appear to have been surprised to receive an unexpected sacking when they went into work. If the redundancy process has been correctly followed as required by law, then everyone would have been made aware of this some time ago and the proper process worked through over an extended period to ensure that all at risk were fairly treated.

This episode smacks yet again of an arrogant chairman who thinks that the laws of the land do not apply to him, and our much loved football club is shamed by his actions yet again.

The people who are really redundant at Dean Court are all those friends and relations brought to the Club by the chairman who on the face of it know very little about football club management and who have made only a minute fraction of the contribution made to the club by the likes of Mick and Joe and others over the years.

Report this post »

Cambs Cherry says...
6:26am Fri 8 Mar 13

TUPE law states that employees must be given notice and receive payement for being made redundant. Now I am only a IT bod but know that TUPE applies in this case. So I think they have been sacked or they've taken redundancy in lieu of notice. If not I hope there 7 people (Mick, Holly, Tom ) get an employment lawyer on the case. Perhaps, EM can use the money we'll get Lallana eventually. So no programme for me Saturday.

Report this post »

seuthsayer says...
4:18pm Fri 8 Mar 13

....someone make that fool on the hill Mitchell redundant please!

karma will decide the future!

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree