Bournemouth have acknowledged mistakes in the way they informed long-serving matchday employees that some roles would not continue into the 2026-27 season.
The Premier League club faced criticism after affected staff members were notified by email from its safety team around two weeks before the new campaign began. Concerns focused particularly on employees who had worked for Bournemouth for many years and felt the communication failed to recognise their service.
Following a review, Bournemouth accepted that the process had fallen below the standards expected by the club. Officials are now contacting affected workers individually to hear their concerns and reconsider their circumstances where appropriate.
The staffing changes followed a wider review of matchday operations, with Bournemouth altering several roles and working requirements as part of efforts to improve security inside the stadium, around its perimeter and in surrounding areas.
One case attracted particular attention after reports emerged that a staff member with almost six decades of service had been told in a short email that his contract would not be renewed. He had been working in the stadium car park.
Bournemouth contacted the employee before publishing its response and have since offered him a different position for the coming season.
The controversy comes at a significant moment for the club. Bournemouth climbed from League Two to the Premier League in only five years, reaching the top division in 2015. After relegation in 2020, they returned two seasons later and are now preparing for the first European campaign in their history.
While Bournemouth maintain that changes to matchday staffing are necessary for safety and security reasons, the club has accepted that the people affected should have been treated with greater care and recognition during the process.