The Story of Eddie Howe: From League Two To History Maker

Eddie Howe has written his name into Newcastle United folklore, having guided the Magpies to their first major trophy in 70 years with the Carabao Cup.

In this piece we take a look at Eddie Howe’s journey from fighting to stay in the football league to domestic champion.

How it started

Eddie Howe’s first stint in coaching was in December 2006 at just 29 years old. Despite still being a first team player for Bournemouth, Howe was given the role of player-coach by manager Kevin Bond with the responsibility of coaching the reserve team alongside his playing commitments.

Howe would retire from playing that very summer after 310 appearances for the Cherries, due to constant knee injuries but continue his role within the club until the sacking of Bond in September 2008.

Permanent role

With the appointment of Jimmy Quinn, Howe would return to Bournemouth as a youth coach before being given the caretaker job following Quinn’s departure on the 31st December 2008, having left the Cherries second from bottom in League Two.

Howe would later be given the job on a permanent basis, keeping Bournemouth in the division despite a 17-point deficit.

Having kept Bournemouth in the football league, things would get even better under Howe’s leadership the following campaign as the Cherries would secure promotion to League One.

8 years ago today, Eddie Howe took charge of his first game for Bournemouth. They were 23rd in League Two and lost 2-1 to Darlington. pic.twitter.com/gbhcdNAqDo

— PurelyFootball ℗ (@PurelyFootball) January 3, 2017

Burnley stint

With Howe’s resurrection of Bournemouth, taking the Cherries from the brink of relegation to promotion in the space of a year and a half, the English manager was bound to have clubs calling.

Having rejected Peterborough United during the 2009/10 campaign, Howe would eventually leave Bournemouth for Championship side Burnley in January 2011 after 100 matches in charge.

Eddie Howe - Burnley (2011) pic.twitter.com/obatjZPDCu

— actual managers (@actualmanagers) September 25, 2023

Howe would spend just two seasons with the Clarets, finishing 8th and 13th respectively before departing in October 2012 due to ‘personal reasons’.

Return to Bournemouth

A reunion with Bournemouth would follow that same month, having agreed to return to the coast. Howe would have an immediate impact, winning League One Manager of the Month for November.

The award was just the beginning for his return to Bournemouth, as they would gain a second promotion under Howe’s leadership in April 2013, securing a spot in the Championship after finishing second place in League One - one point behind champions Doncaster Rovers.

With two promotions under his belt, Eddie Howe had already written himself into the Bournemouth history books.

A 10th placed finish in the Championship was next on the cards for Howe and his side. The campaign was seen as a success having been expected to linger around the bottom half of the table.

However, the 2014/15 campaign was something that no one would have dreamed of happening when the former centre-back was given the caretaker position.

Bournemouth secured promotion to the Premier League for the first time in club history, winning the Championship title. In just six years, Howe had changed the trajectory of the football club forever.

When Eddie Howe first took charge of Bournemouth, they were second-bottom in League Two 😟

He won promotion through all four tiers of the English pyramid 📈

And took them from 91st out of 92 clubs to their highest-ever finish of ninth in the Premier League 🤯

Respect 👏 pic.twitter.com/HK8lCujsHd

— GOAL (@goal) August 1, 2020

Bournemouth would remain in the Premier League for five years, including a ninth placed finish in 2016/17 before suffering their first and only relegation with Howe at the helm as the Cherries finished 18th in the 2019/20 campaign.

Howe would leave Bournemouth after eight years in charge following the relegation to the Championship, leaving behind a legacy that would remain intact forever.

Saving Newcastle United

After almost two years out of management, Howe would agree to become manager of Newcastle United on the 8th November 2021, who had recently sold a major stake of the club to Saudi Arabian ownership.

Having joined the club in 19th position, Howe was once again tasked with keeping a side up from the brink of relegation. Newcastle would finish 11th in the Premier League under Howe, thanks to a run of six consecutive wins.

Newcastle‘s survival had seen them become the first club to avoid relegation despite not winning any of their opening 14 fixtures. Just like his turnaround of Bournemouth, Howe was beginning to work his magic with Newcastle.

• Took Bournemouth from -17 points in League Two to the Premier League and kept them there for five seasons
• During his first season at Newcastle, took them from 19th to 11th
• The following season, qualified for the Champions League

Happy birthday Eddie Howe. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🎂#NUFC pic.twitter.com/n7Tyd4n5ro

— Coaches' Voice (@CoachesVoice) November 29, 2024

The Magpies’ following campaign saw them finish 3rd in the Premier League, securing UEFA Champions League football for the first time since 2002/03 and a spot in the Carabao Cup final, although they would eventually lose to Manchester United.

Newcastle United would finish bottom of the UEFA Champions League group but wouldn’t go down without a fight, defeating Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 at home - their first home Champions League win in 20 years.

Newcastle would find themselves in the Carabao Cup final once again just two years later, following a 4-0 demolition of Arsenal on aggregate.

Newcastle would defeat favourites Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley, thanks to goals from Dan Burn and Alexander Isak. The victory meant that Newcastle United won their first major trophy in 70 years.

Edward John Frank Howe.

Newcastle United legend. pic.twitter.com/F58Cg683NS

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) March 16, 2025

What’s next?

With three promotions, a Championship title, qualification for the UEFA Champions League and a Carabao Cup trophy on his resume, Eddie Howe is widely regarded as the best manager England have produced in recent years.

At the age of just 47-years old, who knows what else Howe could accomplish before it’s all said and done.