Bournemouth and Blackburn Rovers will be facing each other for the first time in nine years this week, and Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has said that he is very much looking forward to the match. Back in 2004, the two sides met each other in the League cup. Bournemouth managed to stun their opposition, who were in the Premier league back then, by beating them on penalties. Howe was playing for Bournemouth back then, and he is now managing the club. He has said that he has fond memories of the game because they played extremely well.

Bournemouth and Blackburn managed a 3-3 draw and the game went into penalties. Bournemouth managed to win the match courtesy of the winning penalty from Howe after the shootout had gone into sudden death. Bournemouth had managed a 7-6 victory on penalties. Howe has said that he has always regarded the match as the best ever he had in a Bournemouth shirt. Now, he is looking to repeat the feat as a manager knowing that Blackburn are not in the best of shapes right now. Blackburn have since been relegated from the Premier league into the Championship and they are in the mid-table right now.

Gary Bowyer’s men come into this match on the back of a winless run of three matches.

“When you play well, you tend to remember it and forget the bad games. I have good memories, let’s hope we have some more on Saturday. I didn’t want to take a penalty, it was not one of my strengths, thankfully Tugay missed and that took the pressure off and I didn’t have anything to lose. It was a fantastic advert, we showed great character which was a hallmark of that 2004 team and is also a hallmark of this team,” said Howe.