News, sport and entertainment from the Bournemouth Echo and Dorset Echo.

Birmy's back-up briefing

From the Echo, first published Wednesday 12th Dec 2001.

CHERRIES manager Sean O'Driscoll has stressed David Birmingham has an important role at the club after using him on the substitutes' bench at Peterborough last Saturday.

The 20-year-old defender was snapped up on a non-contract basis when he was released from first division Portsmouth at the back end of last season.

But he had only made one substitutes appearance and one start for Cherries, both in their opening three matches of the current campaign, before getting a shock recall at London Road on Saturday.

Birmingham's inclusion among the subs for an FA Cup second round tie Cherries went on to lose 1-0 was felt to be something of a surprise among their travelling fans.

However, as O'Driscoll explains Birmingham received the nod for a place on the bench because of a change in tactics.

The manager, who has utilised a back three for most of this season, said: "We reverted to a flat back four because of the way we played at Peterborough and if Stephen Purches had got injured, I knew David could come in and do a job for us.

"He is a natural left-back and we knew what he could play like, so if we had played him I don't think he would have let us down.

"If we are playing with three at the back David isn't required. But he is on a non-contract basis with us and also plays for Bognor Regis Town. When he isn't involved in our first team squad he plays for them.

"He continues to train with us all week but at his age he wants to be playing games and he can do that with Bognor."

Birmingham, a Cherries apprentice before being released and going to Pompey in 1999, has lined up regularly for the runaway Ryman League Division One leaders this term when not required by Bournemouth.

A regular in their reserves, he was a non-playing sub for Cherries at Huddersfield before coming on against Blackpool at Dorchester a week later.

He also played the opening 58 minutes of Cherries' 2-0 Worthington Cup defeat against Torquay at the Avenue Stadium on August 21.

Birmingham said: "I was bit surprised when the manager told me I was involved because I had only just come back from injury and had not been playing as often as I would have liked.

"I didn't find out until the morning of the game that I was on the bench and I was well impres-sed when the gaffer (O'Driscoll) told me.

"It's such a confidence boost just to be in-cluded in the squad let alone on the bench."

The youngster made two senior appearances while at Fratton Park after impressing then Pompey manager, and former Cherries boss, Tony Pulis. But his Pompey career was cut short when veteran striker Steve Claridge replaced Pulis.

Birmingham said: "I got offered a contract by Tony Pulis and I don't think I would have been released if he was still there but you never know."

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