Ryan Fraser braced for frosty reception when Newcastle face Bournemouth

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Eddie Howe heads to Bournemouth for the first as Newcastle United manger on Saturday, and Ryan Fraser is also braced for a return.

But while Howe will be welcomed back to the Vitality Stadium as a hero, Fraser should be braced for an incredibly frosty reception given his departure from the club.

The Scotland international represented the Cherries for more than seven years. He joined in January 2013 and left in the summer of 2020.

Fraser was an excellent player for Bournemouth, but the controversial nature of his exit tarnished his reputation.

How Ryan Fraser left Bournemouth and joined Newcastle

Fraser’s final season at Bournemouth was a strange one. The 2019/20 Premier League campaign will always be remembered as the one that COVID ground to a halt.

Football was put on hold for months due to the pandemic, and its resumption meant that the season would end later than planned.

This was an issue for Fraser, as his Bournemouth contract expired in June 2020. And rather than sign a short-term extension to complete the season with the Cherries, he decided he would not play for the club again.

There was some logic in his decision. Playing might result in injury which would stop him from getting a contract elsewhere. However, it was a decision that did not go down well given Bournemouth were embroiled in a relegation battle.

Rather than roll his sleeves up and fight for the club, Fraser downed tools. He never played for them again and left on a free, while Bournemouth were relegated to the Championship.

The decision angered pundit Simon Jordan, who called Fraser a ‘wretched individual’ and a ‘turd’ for what he did.

The 28-year-old signed a contract with Newcastle in September 2020, and is yet to return to Dean Court as a Toon player.

Fraser now set to return to Bournemouth for the first time

Newcastle face Bournemouth away on Saturday night, which will be the first time the two sides have met on the south coast since July 2020, back when fans were unable to attend.

While the Magpies have faced Bournemouth twice already this season, this will be the first encounter at the Vitality Stadium. It will signal a return to the ground where Fraser decided he didn’t want to play anymore three years ago.

He received a lot of abuse from the travelling fans at St James’ Park, with the Bournemouth supporters chanting at Fraser throughout the game. But it will be louder this weekend, and it could be an uncomfortable evening for Newcastle’s number 21.

Fraser is back in the fold after failing to secure a move away in January, and was back on the bench for the draw with West Ham. He will likely be named as a substitute again on Saturday, and will be dreading the moment that Howe tells him to go warmup down the touchline.