AFC Bournemouth's goalkeeping department is undergoing major change. Gareth Stewart has left to become Blackburn Rovers' First Team Goalkeeping Coach after 25 years with the Cherries, while rumours continue to grow that fellow club stalwart Neil Moss could also depart, signalling the end of an era.
AFC Bournemouth's goalkeeping department is undergoing a significant shake-up following the departure of Gareth Stewart, with growing speculation suggesting fellow club stalwart Neil Moss could also be on his way out.
Stewart has been confirmed as Blackburn Rovers' new First Team Goalkeeping Coach, bringing to an end a relationship with the Cherries that has spanned more than 25 years as both player and coach.
The move sees the 46-year-old return to the club where his professional career began. Stewart came through Blackburn's academy before joining Bournemouth in 1999, going on to make 163 appearances between the posts during a near-decade on the south coast.
After spells with Dorchester Town, Welling United and Yeovil Town, Stewart began forging a coaching career before returning to Vitality Stadium in 2015. Initially working within the academy and Under-21s setup, he earned promotion to the first-team coaching staff in 2020, where he worked alongside Neil Moss as part of Bournemouth's goalkeeping department throughout the club's recent Premier League success.
Having helped develop a number of goalkeepers during his second spell at the club, Stewart now takes up a new challenge at Ewood Park following the departure of long-serving Blackburn goalkeeping coach Ben Benson.
His exit, however, may not be the last.
Rumours continue to circulate that Neil Moss himself could also leave Bournemouth, potentially bringing the curtain down on one of the club's longest-serving associations.
Neil Moss at AFC Bournemouth - Wikimedia CommonsFew figures are as synonymous with AFC Bournemouth as Moss. A product of the club's youth system, the New Milton-born goalkeeper first joined the Cherries as a trainee in 1992 before making more than 220 appearances across two spells as a player.
Following his retirement, Moss transitioned into coaching and has remained a constant presence behind the scenes for well over 15 years. During that time, he has played an integral role in Bournemouth's extraordinary rise from League Two to the Premier League, helping to develop generations of goalkeepers while serving under multiple managers.
His passion for the club and familiar presence on the training ground have made him one of Bournemouth's most respected figures. He has been responsible for the development of the likes of Alex Paulsen, Djordje Petrovic, and Will Dennis - as well as being pivotal for arrivals such as Fraser Forster.
Wikimedia CommonsWhile there has been no official confirmation regarding Moss' future, speculation over a possible departure has intensified in recent days. Should he also leave, it would represent the end of an era for Bournemouth's goalkeeping department, with two men who have dedicated decades of service to the club moving on as Marco Rose begins to shape his own coaching team.
