Dan Seaborne has revealed that he could have made a move to Championship side Birmingham, before opting for a loan switch to League One’s Bournemouth.
The 25-year-old, who is on loan from Southampton, has failed to make an impact at St. Mary’s after returning from a life-threatening head injury suffered in September 2011.
This season he featured seven times while on-loan at Charlton, but returned to the Saints on the 1st January to consider his options.
The defender revealed how he was on the verge of a move to Birmingham, with Wolverhampton Wanderers also interested in his services.
“There were a few different things with Wolves and Birmingham,” Seaborne told TIBS News.
“Birmingham had to sell players for me to move to them and that was all sorted and ready for me to go.
“But, then Bournemouth came in and matched the same offer as Birmingham had.
“It’s local, they’re on a good run, Eddie Howe is obviously a very good manager and I knew one of the coaches down there – John Yems who was with me at Exeter – and they persuaded me to go down there and speak to them and see what I thought.”
The defender also spoke of his desire to play football as soon as possible, preferring the idea of staying in the area amidst a proposed relocation to the Midlands.
He added: “Obviously Wolves and Birmingham are massive clubs, but they couldn’t get it done as quickly as I wanted it done, so I tried to stay local instead of moving up there.
“I was really impressed. I decided to sign and get it done instead of hanging about so I could go out and play again, I’m enjoying it, it’s very good.”
Since returning in October, Eddie Howe has lost just once in the league, while also taking the team on an unbeaten run of 18 games before defeat to Wigan in the FA Cup.
The Cherries now find themselves inside the play-offs, having been sat in the bottom four when Howe took charge.
Seaborne credited the Cherries boss, but told how he needed little persuasion to join his setup.
He continued: “He came across really well, but to be honest, when I went down there they didn’t really need to sell the club to me.
“The club is very much coming forward so it’s a good opportunity for me to go and play, and a good one for them to hopefully push on and get up the league.
“They’ve got a massive backer and from when I played there with Exeter and Southampton, everything’s changed.
“They’ve got really good training ground facilities and they’ve got all the things that Southampton have got.
“The ultimate aim is the championship for them, so hopefully I can help them achieve that.”
Seaborne has the rest of this season on his Southampton contract, with the option of a further year
By Harry Hunt
@HRH1_
This picture was provided by StuBramley
