Dan Burn pays tribute to Trippier and previews Bournemouth in programme notes

As a leadership group, it’s time to reinforce the messages from the gaffer wants. First and foremost, it’s how we’re seen around the training ground. Sometimes you get a feel from the older players, how it’s going around the dressing room. We’ve got to be the face of that and make sure we’re pushing everyone as much as possible. Then the rest of the squad will react. We’re not miles away from the European spots. We just need to put a run together.

I also want to talk about Kieran Trippier, who will leave the club at the end of the season. Honestly, I don’t think anything that’s happened in the last four years would have happened if Tripps hadn’t been here. When the takeover happened, there was a lot of talk about players coming in, but until Tripps came and took that risk – and let’s be honest it was a risk, he was playing for Atlético Madrid and winning La Liga – it would have taken someone to make that move. After that, everything fell in place.

First of all, how good he is as a player. Probably one of the best right-backs this country has ever produced. He’ll be a huge miss as a player but also a person in the training group. He’s a huge influence in the training ground, always keeping people smiling and laughing and joking. A top player but an even better person, and I’m very thankful we crossed paths when we did.

Back to this afternoon, and we know your support always has a huge effect on us, whether it’s going well or not. You can really push us on, so I hope we can give you a performance that you can get right behind and we’ll feed on that. Hopefully we’ll give you the result you deserve.

Dan Burn.