It is nearly time for the derby-that-isn’t-a-derby, as Southampton cross the New Forest to visit Bournemouth in front of the TV cameras on Monday evening.
Lacking a two-way rivalry anywhere, Bournemouth fans will be looking for local bragging rights, while their Saints counterparts painstakingly insist that the Cherries are not their rivals, and will never replace arch-foes Portsmouth in that respect.
Geography aside, two visiting players can expect extremely different receptions at Vitality Stadium on Monday after both joined Southampton during the transfer window.
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale remains popular with Bournemouth’s fans, many of whom would happily have re-signed him from Arsenal this summer before his move to St Mary’s. Ramsdale was the supporters’ player of the year during the 2019-20 relegation season, still owns a house in Bournemouth and had often been back to watch the Cherries while he was at Arsenal.
Ramsdale can expect as warm a welcome as that afforded to ex-Bournemouth favourite Matt Ritchie when he returned with Newcastle in recent years – but the same cannot be said for another ex-Newcastle winger, Ryan Fraser.
The diminutive Scot remains top of the “unforgiven” list among Bournemouth’s followers for his actions during that same 2019-20 season.
While Ramsdale was winning hearts and minds amid a relegation battle, Fraser famously refused to sign an extension to his contract to cover the end of the Covid-extended campaign.
So there were few tears shed in Dorset 18 months ago when Fraser found himself banished to Newcastle’s Under-21 squad by Eddie Howe, the manager for whom he had refused to sign that extension, and the home supporters are probably relishing the chance to make their feelings known if Fraser features on Monday.
Another man with less than happy memories of Vitality Stadium will be Saints boss Russell Martin, whose two previous visits as an opposition manager in 2021 were both heavy defeats (losing 5-0 with Milton Keynes in the League Cup, and 4-0 with Swansea in the Championship).
But both sides will feel under pressure, with Southampton still seeking that first league win, and Bournemouth, having lost to Chelsea and Liverpool, targeting two winnable games against Saints and Leicester before the next international break.
