It’s fairly obvious that Boro’ and AFC Bournemouth followed very different paths during the last few years – but how did we meet? Since the last of the four meetings between ourselves and the Cherries many moons ago, we tumbled in one direction, while they soared in the other. It’s weird to think that, too, our record against them is as even as Steven gets… whoever Steven is. And it isn’t at risk any time soon – unless something dramatic happens.
Now back in the Premier League for the 2022-3 season, Bournemouth are hoping not to have a repeat of their previous campaign in the top flight. Meanwhile, we’re dallying around in League Two. And there’s a definite difference in how we each deal with that. The Cherries, with the multi-million pound clout they had thanks to former sponsors Mansion – the owner of Casino.com – could spend much more on players than we could ever hope. For now…
AFC Bournemouth: The Facts
Vitality Stadium
Kings Park, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH7 7AF
AFC Bournemouth’s tale is one that goes back to 1889 – but not always with the name you’ll know them by in these heady days. At the start, it’s thought they started out as Boscombe; created from the ashes of the old Boscombe St John’s Institute Football Club. The club graduated to Southern League status after World War One, albeit for a short time. In 1923, they were admitted into the Football League and marked the occasion by adding Bournemouth to their name. If we skip the first two seasons (and the 1933-4 campaign), they didn’t fare so badly.
The Cherries continued on their merry way in Division Three South, then Division Three, after World War Two. Some seasons were promising, others were pretty ‘meh’. That was, however, until 1970 when they were relegated down to Division Four. Thankfully, the ignominy would be short-lived; finishing second in the Division Four at the first attempt – and returning to the third tier. It was at this point that AFC Bournemouth became their name.
Why? Well, it genuinely seems to be the desire to come first in the list of English football clubs alphabetically. And it’s not even a mantle that AFC Wimbledon have managed to wrestle from them.
The late 1970s and early 1980s weren’t a stunning time for them; returning to the basement division and finishing as low as 18th on occasion. Over the next few years, they’d make it as high as the second tier. But it wasn’t common to find them there. In fact, they were in the fourth tier as recently as 2010. And it’s only in those following years that the club started to really find its feet; crossing paths with Boro’ briefly before reaching the top flight in 2015.
AFC Bournemouth: Record vs Boro'
Pl
W
D
L
F
A
GD
Pts*
WR%
Overall
4
1
2
1
6
5
1
5
25%
Home
2
0
1
1
2
3
-1
1
0%
Away
2
1
1
0
4
2
2
4
50%
League
4
1
2
1
6
5
1
5
25%
Cup
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
n/a
0%
* league points only
AFC Bournemouth: Result-by-Result (Boro' Scoring First)
How to get to AFC Bournemouth – Travel Information – Distance: 126 miles
By Road
For your trip to the Dorset seaside, go south on the A1(M) and anti-clockwise on the M25. At Junction 12, leave the motorway and join the Southampton-bound M3; the bulk of your journey at 51 miles in length.
At the bottom of the M3 and on the outskirts of Southampton, bear left for the westbound M27 towards Southampton Docks and Bournemouth. Continue along once the motorway ends and the New Forest begins, sticking with the A31. After more than 11 miles, exit the carriageway for the A338 for Bournemouth and Verwood.
Remain left for the Bournemouth-bound A338 (signposted as such) and continue on for almost eight miles. Exit the A338 and take the second exit at the roundabout for King’s Park Drive. The ground will be on the left.
The ground features a large car park that may suffice, although it charges per hour. A local council-run car park is also located on the opposite side of the dual carriageway if that fits the bill any better.
By Rail
Station: POKESDOWN
Services to: LONDON WATERLOO
Pokesdown is the nearest station to Dean Court and is served fairly regularly by services from London Waterloo. It will be roughly 20 minutes on foot to reach the stadium from Pokesdown and is a pretty straight-forward route.
There are a couple of options, but the best way is to head along the A35 Christchurch Road, which is residential and may also provide a pre-game pint. After about a third of a mile, turn right onto Gloucester Road for another 0.3 miles.
At the end of Gloucester Road, turn left onto King’s Park Drive and follow the road around to the right past the Indoor Bowls Centre. The ground will be on the right if it hasn’t already made its presence known to you.
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