EDDIE Howe has made an impassioned plea to the Dean Court faithful ahead of one of the most important games in the club’s history and told them: “We need you more than ever.”

Howe was speaking in the lead up to the penultimate home match of the campaign with another sell-out set to watch Cherries lock horns with Sheffield Wednesday.

And his comments regarding the importance of supporters at such a key stage of the season were backed up by former Cherries star John ‘Willo’ Williams.

To this day, Williams is convinced the club’s army of travelling fans were the difference when Harry Redknapp’s men clinched promotion on a memorable day at Fulham in May 1987.

Cherries face the Owls bidding to maintain their slender lead at the top of the Championship and looking to take another step towards securing a place in the Premier League.

Howe told the Daily Echo: “My message to our fans would be to just sing and support the players for 90 minutes.

“They were crucial in the win against Birmingham because they didn’t get nervy or tense after we had gone 2-0 behind and they didn’t get on the players’ backs.

“We really need the crowd to try to suck the ball into the net for us in these final two home games. I really want the crowd to try to back the players.

“They are the most successful AFC Bournemouth team in history and have guaranteed a play-off spot at this level for the first time. I think the players deserve the crowd’s support for what they have achieved.

“Our fans were superb at Reading and their support needs to manifest itself in noise not silence. I know our supporters have never let us down and know they won’t now when we need them more than ever.”

Popular former defender Williams has seen every game this season in his capacity as a summariser for BBC Radio Solent.

He starred at the back for Cherries when they lifted the old Division Three championship in 1986-87 – the only league title won by the club since it joined the Football League in 1923.

Williams told the Daily Echo: “I will never forget what happened at Fulham. It was very tense, we were having a dodgy 15-minute spell and some of the players were getting a bit tetchy with each other. There were a couple of rows on the pitch and things were going against us.

“But our supporters sensed all was not well and started to really get behind us. People say you can’t hear what is said on the terraces but you can hear almost every word and they can make such a difference.

“It was like the roar from The Kop at Liverpool and they really pulled us through. As a player, you couldn’t fail to be motivated and inspired. In games like that, there are bound to be nerves and you need all the help you can get. Our supporters were the difference that day.”