Located in Kings Park, Boscombe, a neighbourhood of Bournemouth, Dorset, England, AFC Bournemouth is a professional association football team. The team competes in the Premier League, which is the top division of English club football. The club was founded in 1899 under the name Boscombe, and they changed their name to it in 1971. Since 1910, Bournemouth, also known as “The Cherries,” has held their home matches at Dean Court. Their home uniforms, which are modelled after those of the Italian club A.C. Milan, are red and black striped shirts with black shorts and socks.
Before being promoted from the Hampshire League to the Southern League in 1920, the club participated in local football leagues. They were admitted to the Football League in 1923 and are currently known as Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic.
History
They were assigned to the newly reorganized Third Division in 1958, went down in 1970 but were immediately promoted in 1970–71. In 1975, Bournemouth was demoted back to the Fourth Division. They were then promoted once more in 1981–82, and after winning the Associate Members’ Cup in 1984, they went on to win the Third Division championship in 1986–87. After three seasons in the second division, they were placed under administration in 1997, were demoted to the fourth tier in 2002, and were promptly promoted after winning the play-offs in 2003.
In 2008, Bournemouth was placed into administration for a second time and dropped back into League Two, however the year finished with Eddie Howe being named manager.
Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic
In 1923, the name was changed to Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Football Club to better reflect the neighborhood. The club was chosen to play in the Third Division South, which had just been expanded, in the same year. On August 25, 1923, Bournemouth played in the inaugural league game at Swindon Town, which they defeated 3-1. In their first league match at Dean Court, Bournemouth drew 0-0 with Swindon to earn their first league point.
Bournemouth initially struggled in the Football League but eventually succeeded in becoming a Third Division team. The Third Division’s longest-running continuous member is still Bournemouth.
