It was an evening soundtracked by the Unimaginable Dream.
And it was no coincidence that was the tune chosen on the Vitality Stadium earlier than Bournemouth’s first European house sport within the membership’s 127-year historical past.
As supporters fortunate sufficient to bag a ticket for the historic event waved flags to the Andy Williams basic, an enormous tifo rose from behind one of many stands, bearing the phrases ‘Minus 17 to European goals. AFC Bournemouth, established 1899’.
As lately as 2008, an evening like this could have been unthinkable for Cherries supporters.
Simply 18 years in the past, Bournemouth had been dealing with the prospect of now not current.
After getting into administration, the membership had been relegated from League One after being handed a 10-point deduction.
However that was not the top of their troubles. To be allowed to compete within the 2008-09 season, Bournemouth, then managed by Eddie Howe, needed to settle for an additional 17-point deduction in League Two.
It left them on the backside of the Soccer League and seemingly destined for all times as a non-league facet.
By the top of the season, the Cherries had not solely accomplished one of many best escapes in English soccer historical past to safe a Twenty first-place end and survival, however had additionally laid the foundations for a decade of success, which culminated in a primary promotion to the Premier League in 2015.
Quick-forward to the current day and Bournemouth are making historical past for all the precise causes within the Europa League. Thursday’s 3-0 win over Sturm Graz meant they grew to become solely the second English facet to win their first two matches in a significant European competitors since Bolton achieved the feat within the Uefa Cup 21 years in the past.
“It is a second that may dwell lengthy of their reminiscences,” former defender Joel Ward advised TNT Sports activities. “The membership ought to relish this evening.
“The proprietor [Bill Foley] manifested this second when he first got here into the membership. He set the requirements for this membership, he has invested so much into it and he needed to see this membership in Europe.
“He received his want, they usually have actually began extremely effectively to date.”
