Since 2009, AFC Bournemouth have completed a remarkable transformation after facing administration and a 17-point deduction to keep their Football League status.
From the bottom, now we're here...
Fast forward six years, and the Dorset club have been crowned Sky Bet Championship title-winners with 90 points which saw the Cherries end their 115-year wait for a trophy following the foundation of the club.
With ten games remaining in the 2014-15 Championship season, Bournemouth were leading the way in a seven way battle for the title. At that point, the Cherries had spent 83 days at the top of the league, and were clear front runners in the race for the ultimate prize – the Premier League.
Out of the 11 players that had played in their previous game before the run-in, eight of those already had promotion experience having reached the Championship back in 2013 – something which proved vital this time round as the club showed a togetherness in comparison to the others involved.
The time had come, the time was now. The final day of the season saw Bournemouth travel to Charlton which resulted in a three-nil victory. Bournemouth had done it. Bournemouth were in the Premier League for the first time in their history.
“It was incredible, and what I’m so happy about is that the boys are champions,” said Bournemouth chairman Jeff Mostyn. “The Premier League should embrace Bournemouth and I think they’re going to do the Premier League proud.”
Fans of the Premier League did just that. Eddie Howe brought attacking football to Bournemouth, and that’s perhaps something you don’t see at a newly-promoted club.
Kicking off their Premier League campaign against Aston Villa, a single goal from Rudy Gestede denied Bournemouth their first points of the Premier League. Liverpool were up next, and Bournemouth were again undone by just the one goal after Christian Benteke netted a controversial winner on his Anfield debut.
Season ending injury? Probably not...
Callum Wilson was the first player to net Bournemouth’s Premier League goal, which also resulted in their first three points. Wilson’s hat-trick in the 3-4 victory over West Ham downed the London club in a dramatic encounter however, the worst was about to come for the young forward.
After scoring five goals in six games for Howe’s newly promoted side, the 23-year-old was told his Premier League campaign was over after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament against Stoke City.
Howe labelled the injury as a “huge blow” however Wilson told Sky Sports News that despite hitting “rock bottom,” he was determined to get back as soon as possible, and work his way into the England squad, which he had been tipped for prior to the injury.
November and December were the months to remember for Bournemouth fans. Six games undefeated saw the South coast club record victories over both Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, before Junior Stanislas and Joshua King helped the club to a 2-1 win against Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United.
At the midway point in the Premier League, Bournemouth find themselves above the relegation zone on 20 points, the same as the current Premier League champions, Chelsea. Howe’s players have five wins to their name, and if they can turn their draws into three points, there are no doubts to Bournemouth beating the drop this season.