 On 29 August 2008 Bournemouth re-signed Connell for an undisclosed fee.The club who had recently been relegated back into Football League Two were also handed a point deduction for financial irregularities.Connell and Bournemouth secured their Football League status and prevented a second successive relegation when they beat relegation rivals Grimsby Town 2–1 at home on the penultimate day of the 2008–09 season.