Our next guest on the Official AFC Bournemouth Podcast is former player and under-18s manager, Alan Connell.  

He won two promotions with the Cherries in 2003 and 2010, while also featuring in the club’s unforgettable Great Escape season of 2008/09. 

The former forward netted almost 100 goals in 400 career appearances and won further promotions with Swindon Town and Bradford City. He also helped the Bantams reach the final of the League Cup in 2013.

Connell joined the academy coaching staff at Vitality Stadium in 2015 and was elevated to head coach of the under-18s in July 2017.

In his five years at the helm, he's not looked back once as the youth team have finished in the top two of the EFL Youth Alliance every season. In 2018/19, they also reached the sixth round of the FA Youth Cup for only the second time in the club’s history. 

Away from football, Connell bravely talks about the tougher times in his career and dealing with passing of his mother Sue, before discussing the strength he takes from his young family. 

It's a podcast packed with information that you don't want to miss