Former Bournemouth chairman Eddie Mitchell – who was famed for turning south-coast location Sandbanks into a ‘millionaire’s playground’ – has died at the age of 69

Eddie Mitchell, the former Bournemouth chairman famed for turning Sandbanks into the ‘UK’s Miami Beach’, has died aged 69.

Former Bournemouth and Portsmouth chief Harry Redknapp is among the army of millionaire celebrities who have flocked to Sandbanks in modern times. And the list of other big names spotted at the seaside destination includes Liam Gallagher, Karl Pilkington and Rick Stein.

Mitchell was at the Cherries helm between 2009 and 2013, and it was under his stewardship that the south coast club managed to bring Eddie Howe back in 2012. That decision proved to be a turning point for the club and has helped to usher in the most successful period in Bournemouth’s history.

Mitchell was at the Cherries helm between 2009 and 2013, and it was under his stewardship that the south coast club managed to bring Eddie Howe back in 2012. That decision proved to be a turning point for the club and has helped to usher in the most successful period in Bournemouth’s history.

However, property developer Mitchell made another boardroom call that backfired tremendously. It was he who encouraged Russian major share-holder Maxim Demin to take an interest in the club – before he was banned from the Vitality Stadium and told never to return.

He told The Sun last year: “What happened at Bournemouth left me devastated. I am a lifelong Cherries fan but I am not allowed to watch them because I am banned. I was banned within two weeks after I sold the club to the Russian.

“I got a letter from a solicitor saying that I was no longer welcome and, if I turned up for a match, I would be escorted out of the ground and the police would be called.”

Mitchell previously had a serious health scare when his heart stopped on two occasions while at work in 2018. The ordeal meant he had to be placed in a medically-induced coma for three weeks, later confessing he “kept reliving” the terrifying incident.

This is a breaking sports story and is being constantly updated with the latest news, pictures and videos. Please refresh the page regularly.

You can also get email updates on the day’s biggest sports stories straight to your inbox by signing up for our sports newsletter.

Get all the very best sports news, pictures, opinion and video by following Daily Star every time you see our name.