April 27 2015 is a day Bournemouth fans will never forget. A 3-0 win against Bolton Wanderers all but secured promotion to the Premier League, just 6 years after almost being relegated from the Football League entirely. Here’s the story of this memorable season...
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The journey started way back in August... a first minute goal from Marc Pugh helped Bournemouth to a thumping 4-0 win against Huddersfield.
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The first game of the season at Dean Court saw Junior Stanislas’ strike secure a 1-0 win vs. Brentford.
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After 3 draws and 3 losses, goals from Yann Kermorgant and Simon Francis against struggling Wigan got Bournemouth back to winning ways.
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The Cherries remained unbeaten throughout the whole of October (including a win against Premier League West Brom in the Capital One Cup). But the highlight was a huge 8-0 away win against Birmingham.
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Brighton goals from Adrian Colunga and Sam Baldock weren’t enough to subject Bournemouth to a first defeat in over a month.
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Goals were on the menu yet again during an unbeaten December as Bournemouth stuck 5 past Cardiff and netted 6 against Blackpool just a week later.
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January ended and February began with back to back wins for the Cherries - a 2-0 home win over Watford followed by a 3-1 victory in Wigan.
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Bournemouth failed to pick up a single win during the remainder of February but were back to winning ways again in March with 3 victories on the bounce; the highlight being a 5-1 win in West London against Fulham.
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Easter proved vital in the Cherries’ quest for automatic promotion. Goals from Yann Kermorgant and Callum Wilson helped Bournemouth to a 2-0 at the Amex Stadium against Brighton followed by this 1-0 win on Easter Monday against Reading.
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A draw against Sheffield Wednesday wasn’t ideal, but after Norwich and Middlesbrough slipped up, the Cherries were given an oppurtunity to secure promotion to the Premier League for the first time. The rest, they say, is history...
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With the Cherries on 87 points and Watford on 88 going into the final game of the season, Eddie Howe’s men knew all they could do was win and hope Watford slipped up against Sheffield Wednesday. A Harry Arter goal between a Matt Ritchie brace secured a comfortable 3-0 win away at Chartlon whilst Atdhe Nuhiu scored a last minute equaliser for Wednesday at Watford meaning the title would be heading to Dean Court!
MORE FROM AFCB
• The Premier League was always the aim, but Marc Pugh didn’t expect it to happen just 10 months after we interviewed him.
• AFC Bournemouth legend Steve Fletcher on the honour of receiving the Sir Tom Finney Award - AFC Bournemouth legend Steve Fletcher on the honour of receiving the Sir Tom Finney Award.
