LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 03: Eddie Howe, Manager of AFC Bournemouth apologizes to the fans following defeat in the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and AFC Bournemouth at Selhurst Park on December 03, 2019, in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Jack Thomas/Getty Images)

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has become the first Premier League boss to take a voluntary pay cut during the coronavirus pandemic.

With football suspended since mid-March – and showing few signs of an immediate return – the Cherries manager and other senior staff have taken a cut in wages to help balance the books.

The club said chief executive Neill Blake, first-team technical director Richard Hughes, Howe, and assistant Jason Tindall have “all taken significant, voluntary pay cuts for the entirety of this uncertain time”.

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The statement from the board of directors read: “As the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic continues to gather pace, there are far more questions than answers regarding its effects.

“One thing is for certain, however; the wellbeing of our employees, supporters, local communities and everyone around the world is of far greater significance than football matches.

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“There is no script for moments like this. No tactics and no set plays to find a winning formula. But as a board, we are continually looking at ways to ensure the future of the club and our employees are protected when the season returns.”

Bournemouth have also followed in the footsteps of fellow Premier League clubs Tottenham, Newcastle, and Norwich by furloughing a “number of staff”.

Football 365

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