Bournemouth hero Eddie Howe wins LMA manager of the year award

Eddie Howe led Bournemouth to the Championship title this season

After guiding Bournemouth to the Barclays Premier League, Eddie Howe was named the Manager of the Year by League Managers Association. Howe is the first non-Premier League manager since Steve Coppell to win the prestigious award.

Coppell had won the award in 2006 after he had led Reading to Promotion. Howe pipped none other than Jose Mourinho to the award. The 37-year-old manager was also named as the Championship manager of the year for his achievements this season with the ‘Cherries’.

The award comes as recognition for the manager’s efforts of guiding Bournemouth to the Championship title using limited resources ahead of other bigger teams. It is the first time in the history of the club that Bournemouth will be playing in the Premier League.

The former Bournemouth player said: “I can't believe it, I'm so surprised.” He was first appointed as the club’s manager in 2008 and later returned to the club in 2012 after managing Burnley for two years.

Since taking charge, Howe guided the team first to Football League survival after they were handed a 17-point deduction in the 2008-09 season to leading them into the Premier League in two different spells.

It was Brendan Rodgers who gave away the award to the Cherries manager. The Liverpool manager who won last year’s LMA manager of the year award praised Howe’s work.

“He's done a fine job, a remarkable job and done it with style and humility," Rodgers said. The Cherries managed to secure the Championship on the last day of the season after beating Charlton Athletic 3-0 and Watford drew with Sheffield Wednesday.

Steve Cotteril of Bristol City won the League One honour while Gareth Ainsworth of Wycombe won the League Two award. Phil Parkinson won the FA Cup manager of the year award for guiding Bradford City to a famous victory against Chelsea. Jose Mourinho won the Premier League manager of the year.