Dean Court was the Fitness First Stadium for a while but is now the Seward Stadium. Photo © 2007 Ciderspace

Although their first season in the Football League required re-election to survive through to a second they then remained in Division Three South and Division Three for a record number of consecutive seasons, right through to 1969-70. After decades of going nowhere, either up or down, the beginning of the Seventies saw a flurry of excitement, relegated in 1970 but promoted again in 1971. In the F.A. Cup Round One replay The Cherries recorded an 8-1 victory over Oxford City , with Ted MacDougall scoring six, only to come up against Yeovil Town at Dean Court in Round Two. 11,583, the biggest gate of the season, saw a Cliff Myers header send The Glovers into the Third Round. In an unconnected event Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic renamed themselves AFC Bournemouth.

Bournemouth were relegated again in 1975 and were still in the basement when Alec Stock took on his last managerial role from 1979-80. His protégé Dave Webb took over and got The Cherries promoted. After a short interlude from Don Megson, Harry Redknapp took the reins for nine years during which he got them into Division Two in 1987 for the first time in their history - and out again 1990. Redknapp was eventually let go as part of cost-cutting exercises - albeit with a hefty six-figure pay-off - by the current Yeovil Town co-owner Norman Hayward. The Cherries remained in Division Three (renamed Division Two) through to 2003 when they were relegated to the bottom division. A single season was enough to bounce back through the play-offs, defeating Lincoln City 5-2 in the Final at the Millennium Stadium.

The last decade or so has seen Bournemouth more in the news for off than on field matters. The club was already struggling financially in the early Nineties, but limped on. However in the 1996-97 season the buffers were hit, the receivers called in, and at one point the club was within a quarter of an hour of folding. A Football Trust Committee rallied supporters and kept The Cherries afloat, eventually taking over the whole club when no one else could be found, forming the first ever Community Club. At the end of the 2000-01 season Bournemouth vacated Dean Court whilst a new ground was built on the same site, returning from Dorchester to what was badged as the Fitness First Stadium (even if most still called it Dean Court) in November. It has to said that whilst fans were justifiably proud of their part in saving the club and their ownership of it, all in the financial garden was still not rosy. The stadium remained unfinished and there were debts reputed to be around £5 million. In the summer of 2005 the club defaulted on repaying £250,000 due to the council. A fans' trust running a club sounds idyllic to the average football supporter, but in the real World it doesn't necessarily see the bills paid.

The Cherries were pushed into selling their ground to keep from going into liquidation, and leasing it back. It kept them afloat in the short term, but the drain on their cash flow of meeting the rent meant that they were on a slipperly slope, and a succession of Chairmen and boards failed to turn matters around. Things were soon to get a whole lot worse, and it was a toss up whether they or Luton were the worst run and sickest clubs in the Football League.

Chairman Jeff Mostyn put the club into administration again during February 2008 when the taxman came knocking at their door. He brought in administrator Gerald Krasner, a former Leeds United Chairman, but the period of administration went on and on and on. Mostyn seemed to be trying a Leeds type scam of junking debts and buying the club back himself, but every consortium he was supposdly putting together fell apart, if they ever existed in the first place. Eventually some dubious marketing company, Sport-6, with no discernible assets appeared from somewhere, and Krasner leapt to dump the club in their laps and scarpered pocketing his huge fees. Within months it had gone, the CEO, Alastair Saverimutto, cheerily admitting they had lied through their teeth to the Football League on various issues to get the club's membership share back, leaving a part of that group, Paul Baker, holding the poisoned chalice on his own. Meanwhile Bournemouth were getting points deducted all over the place at an alarming rate, enough to get them relegated out of League One, though they perhaps surprisingly, and probably to the disappointment of the Football League who would have been happy enough to see them disappear off into Non-League and become the Conference's problem, managed to overcome a seventeen point deduction and avoid a second relegation. Baker spent the next six months trying to get rid of the club in his turn, with Mostyn and his ex-deputy chairman Steve Sly back on the scene once again claiming new consortia were around the corner. Eventually they did find someone, the owner of Dorchester Town Eddie Mitchell, to step in. Mitchell hastily divested himself of the Magpies to avoid dual ownership issues by transferring that club to his sons. Not that it took too long for the FA to see through that one.

During 2009-10, they lurched around still in financial disarray, permanently under a transfer embargo. Mitchell blamed the debts on the previous owners, but given how many successive ownerships, and combinations of consortiums that had either owned the club, or dipped their toes in during the two administration cycles, it was hard to unravel where such debts had come from, and somewhat amusing given that two of those past directors - Mostyn and Sly - were back on the board. Somehow, manager Eddie Howe kept them near the top of League Two, and in March 2010, they came out of their embargo - an incredible 13 months after being hit by the Football League's financial regulations.

Bournemouth's financial problems have largely died down since their promotion into League One, and in fact they surprised a few people during the 2010-11 season by threatening to shoot straight through to the Championship. That didn't quite happen, with them losing in the semi-finals of the play-offs on penalties to Huddersfield Town.

The 2011-12 season started with a bit of a hangover - typical of sides that lose in the play-offs. They lost Eddie Howe to Burnley halfway through the previous season, and a very large majority of the 2010-11 squad were sold off or departed, leaving Lee Bradbury with a massive rebuilding job. They eventually finished in 11th place, mainly because of a poor start to the season that saw them in the relegation zone.

Matters have got rather interesting off the field as well. Chairman Eddie Mitchell has been the focus of most of that. In September 2011, he went onto a pitch with a microphone, directly confronting heckling supporters, and inviting one fan over the tannoy to come onto the pitch and "come and have a chat with me ... one to one" whilst stewards frantically tried to usher their boss away. Then in November 2011, he persuaded a Russian petrochemicals trader Maxim Demin to buy a 50 percent stake in the club, with Mitchell keeping the other half, meaning that the Cherries were now sat on some serious wealth.

But then came the bizarre - Mr Demin's wife entering the dressing room at half time during a match against MK Dons, to deliver her views on the game that was followed by Mitchell trying to defend that on BBC Radio 5 Live resulting in him swearing three times on national radio and being kicked off air. The FA ensured he was £1,500 lighter in the pocket as a result. Next the Bournemouth Echo got banned from the stadium in March 2012 for their reporting of these various incidents, with civil war breaking out between the paper and the club. Clearly the Mitchell-Demin partnership could deliver success with the financial backing it has, but equally it could blow up in their faces, with many Cherries fans not particularly comfortable with the attention they were getting. With this sort of background rumbling, things could go either way.

For the moment, things are looking on the way up, despite another very poor start to the 2012-13 season. Lee Bradbury was fired in March 2012, and he was replaced by the relatively inexperienced Paul Groves, who was Dorchester Town's manager under Mitchell. He lasted just 20 matches, winning only three of them, and in October 2012, the Cherries were searching for a new manager again. In a somewhat audacious move, they stuck their hat in the ring for formermanager Eddie Howe - still with Burnley after 87 matches - and to the surprise of quite a lot of people, he was happy to jump ship and down a division. Just 14 games in, and the Prodigal Son's return appears to be doing the business - 10 wins, four draws and no defeats is quite some turnaround given they'd lost four in a row just before his arrival. Undoubtedly, they'll have their eye on the play-offs at least on that sort of form.

The full length of the East Stand, about half of which is for away fans. Photo © 2007 Ciderspace

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

RECENT RESULTS

29/03/2013	Colchester United	Away	NPL1	W	1-0	4727		Pitman 19
01/04/2013	Scunthorpe United	Home	NPL1	W	1-0	7465		Pitman 11
06/04/2013	Notts County	Home	NPL1	W	3-1	7551		Ritchie 17, 85, Pitman 26
13/04/2013	Shrewsbury Town	Away	NPL1	W	3-0	6047		Pitman 5, 53, Grandison 62
20/04/2013	Carlisle United	Home	NPL1	W	3-1	9014		Cook 25, Arter 56, Pitman 90
27/04/2013	Tranmere Rovers	Away	NPL1	D	0-0	6745

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

CLUB GOALSCORERS

Name	LGE	FAC	FAT	LGC	CC	Total
Brett Pitman	19	0	0	0	0	19
Lewis Grabban	13	0	0	0	0	13
Harry Arter	8	0	0	0	0	8
Marc Pugh	6	1	0	0	0	7
Matthew Tubbs	6	0	0	0	0	6
Lee Barnard	4	0	0	0	0	4
Charlie Daniels	4	0	0	0	0	4
Matt Ritchie	3	0	0	0	0	3
Josh McQuoid	3	0	0	0	0	3
Shaun MacDonald	0	0	0	2	0	2
Eunan O'Kane	1	1	0	0	0	2
Tommy Elphick	2	0	0	0	0	2
Wes Fogden	1	1	0	0	0	2
Steve Cook	1	0	0	0	0	1
Richard Hughes	1	0	0	0	0	1
Simon Francis	1	0	0	0	0	1
Own Goals	3	0	0	0	0	3

ATTENDANCE STATISTICS

Highest League Attendance: 9135, vs Portsmouth, 09/02/2013
Lowest League Attendance: 4951, vs Walsall, 29/09/2012
Average League Attendance: 6852

CURRENT LEAGUE SEQUENCE STATISTICS

Games Without A Win:	1		Games Without A Home Win:	0
Games Without An Away Win:	1		Games Without Defeat:	9
Games Without A Home Defeat:	4		Games Without An Away Defeat:	5
Games Without A Draw:	0		Games Without A Score Draw:	20
Games Without A No-Score Draw:	0		Games Without Scoring:	1
Games Without Conceding:	1		Home Results Sequence:	LLWWWW
Away Results Sequence:	LWWWWD		Overall Results Sequence:	WWWWWD

Back to Top of Page

The temporary South Stand, which was for away fans, has been dismantled and is no more. Photo © 2007 Ciderspace
Dean Court Kings Park Bournemouth BH7 7AF (Click for map) Telephone Number : 01202 726300 Fax : 01202 726373 Email: admin@afcb.co.uk Chairman : Eddie Mitchell Club Secretary : Neil Vacher Media : Mick Cunningham Manager : Eddie Howe Capacity : 9,776 Seated : All seated Covered Terrace : N/A Colours : shirt red with black panels, shorts black, socks black Record Attendance : 28,799 v Manchester United, FA Cup R6, 02/03/1957 Nickname : The Cherries	Ticket Prices : Away fans are housed in a section of the East Stand, which is a covered seated stand facing sideways onto the pitch. The amount of space allocated is flexible, but usually being 1,200 seats and comprises of Blocks 21-24. Access to the stadium is via Turnstile F and supporters will be required to pay cash on the turnstiles. Ticket prices for this 2012-13 League One fixture are unchanged from last season and are as follows: Adults: £20.00; Concessions: £11.00. Note that we've had reports of Bournemouth expecting some fairly rigorous proof that people are of a certain age, so if you look borderline it could be wise to take some strong ID with you. Concessions include Over-65s, Under-16s and NUS-card carrying students. Disabled Info: the facilities are excellent. The stadium has been created from the off with disabled people in mind and there are 25-30 spaces for visiting supporters to be with their fellow away fans. There is parking available (five spaces are dedicated to visiting disabled supporters) and the road built around the stadium is wheelchair friendly. There is a low window at the ticket office. Visiting disabled supporters can use the away section of the East Stand and sit at the front where they like, with good access to the concourse. A toilet is available at all times on the concourse and the food and drink bars are easily accessible. Ambulant Disabled supporters on the middle or lower rate of mobility/care DLA are entitled to enter on the concessionary rate. Note that those on the middle/lower rate of disability do not qualify for an assistant to accompany them - any assistant will pay normal matchday admissions. For both wheelchair and ambulant disabled supporters on the higher rate of mobility/care DLA, supporters are entitled to FREE entry, along with an assistant, who is also admitted free of charge. Applications must be made in advance from Serena Stone, on 01202 726331 or 0844 576 1910, or you can email tickets@afcb.co.uk or disability@afcb.co.uk. Any requests for Disabled Parking or other requirements should be made via the above contacts - obviously things like car parking spaces and reservations in the away part of the stand is done on a first come, first served basis, so the later you leave it, the less chance of Serena being able to help you here.
The East Stand section allocated to away fans Photo © 2007 Ciderspace

Back to Top of Page

Parking

The club has its own large car park, with a section that is set aside for sponsors only so you certainly won't get into that section. There is also a council Pay & Display car park in Kings Park. There is a £60.00 fine for persons without a valid car park ticket, and this is enforced. However, take note of the signage and tariffs - for evening games you should find that this car park is free after 6.00p.m. Getting out of the stadium car parking makes the exit from Huish Park seem like the twinkling of an eye in comparison. Away from the car parks, Bournemouth note that "an increased number of roads around the ground have recently had enhanced deterrents implemented" - whatever that means - that would make it harder for football supporters to do street parking legally. Pay attention to all signs and assume that any restrictions are fully policed.

NOTE: 2012-13 Season Boxing Day Match: With thanks to Cherries fans Martin and Simon as well as those on the Vital Bournemouth forum, we've been given warning of specific parking restrictions for this match. Whilst for you and I, Boxing Day may be a Bank Holiday, for Bournemouth's local traffic wardens, this is a working day (and doubtless on overtime rates). Whilst it is possible to get local street parking in the area, and in local car parks, pay careful attention to the signage. Local street parking bars all parking between 2.00p.m. and 3.00p.m. during week days - this includes Bank Holidays for some reason. So if you want to avoid Bournemouth Council playing Uncle Scrooge, by sticking love notes on your windscreen, check where you're parking, and work on the basis of it being an ordinary Wednesday afternoon. A number of Cherries fans paid the penalty (literally) on Easter Monday 2012, so don't get caught out.

The North Stand behind the goal for home fans Photo © 2007 Ciderspace

By Rail

NOTE: 2012-13 Season Boxing Day Match: In case it's not obvious, very few train companies run services on Boxing Day. We're leaving the information below in the guide, but note that South West Trains will not be operating any services on Boxing Day, which includes both the Yeovil end and the Bournemouth end.

In the old days you could have popped up from Yeovil Junction to Templecombe, then down on the Somerset & Dorset, one of the most beautiful railway lines in the country - though not so good for those in a hurry. Unfortunately the S&D was closed down in 1966.

Given Yeovil and Bournemouth are only just over 50 miles apart travelling by train is a bit of a pain. There are various options, but the journey time is around two to over three hours depending on the choice made. Quickest in terms of time is from Pen Mill down to Dorchester West on Wessex Trains, walk across to Dorchester South, and then on to Bournemouth by Southwest Trains.
Alternatively going from Yeovil Junction you can change at Salisbury, but have to change again at Southampton Central, or go up as far as Basingstoke and change for Bournemouth there.

For those coming down from London the service to Bournemouth is out of Waterloo - and generally excellent.

The nearest train station to the stadium is Pokesdown, which is roughly a mile from the ground and around 15 minutes walk away. However not a lot stops there. Bournemouth Central is the more likely terminus, and it's around a half hour walk to the ground.
From Pokedown exit the station (you can't go wrong, there is only one exit) and turn right down the main Christchurch Road (A35). Proceed about 400 yards and then turn right onto Gloucester Road. Keep walking and you'll eventually reach Dean Court.
From Bournemouth Central leave the station by the South exit, opposite an Asda Supermarket. Turn left and walk down to the main Holdenhurst Road. Turn left (away from the town centre) and then keep straight on along Holdenhurst Road for around 25 minutes, passing (or stopping at!) the Queens Park (see below) pub. Past the pub carry on until you reach a roundabout. There turn right into Kings Park Drive. The ground is down the bottom of this road on the left.

By Supporters Coaches

The Green and White Supporters Club are running coaches to the match for this 2012-13 season League One fixture as follows:

Coaches will depart from Huish Park at 11.30a.m. There will be no pick-up from Yeovil Bus Station on this occasion. Cost of travel will be £10.00 with no concessions available on this occasion. Non-GWSC members are welcomed and will pay two pounds extra.

To place your booking, call Paul Hadlow on 07736 044570 or Rich Rendell on 01935 427072 (Evenings).

By Bus

NOTE: 2012-13 Season Boxing Day Match: It appears that the Yellow Buses are running a limited timetable on Boxing Day. We'd therefore recommend that you preplan any bus journey as that will mean very minimal services. The same applies to the Wilts and Dorset service which has also published a holiday timetable.

The relevant bus route out from the centre is a circular one: No.33 anti-clockwise; No.34 clockwise. Buses in Bournemouth are Yellow. The other main bus company is the Wilts & Dorset (recently rebranded as More Bus), which tends to concentrate on rural routes and is not yellow.

Taxis

A selection of Bournemouth taxi companies can be found here.

The Main (West) Stand at the ground Photo © 2007 Ciderspace

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

No breweries in Bournemouth or Poole, but Ringwood is just up the road and has, as it moves into its second quarter-century, an expanding reputation as well as an expanding output. Definitely a regional brewer rather than a micro-brewer these days at over 30,000 barrels a year. Ringwood Brewery. Best, Fortyniner and Old Thumper are the staples, with additional seasonal beers added to the range at the appropriate times.
Hall & Woodhouse of Blandford St Mary are unlikely to need any introduction to West Country folk. Brewing since 1777, 'Badger' beers including the famed Tanglefoot are something of an institution. In 2000 they bought up the Horsham brewery of King & Barnes and have maintained beers under that badge, though aficionados feel the individuality of the Sussex ales has been lost in the process. Badger Ales.

Club Bar :

The ground has a bar called 1910 Club Bar. On previous visits we were not given access to alcohol at the ground, but during the 2010-11 season Bournemouth surprised us by opening up to home and away fans. The 2011-12 season though seemed to be back to square one, and a line on their club website strongly implies that this is definitely back to being home fans only.

NOTE: 2012-13 Season Boxing Day Match: A lot of public houses have a tendency to either (a) open late or not at all on Boxing Day lunchtimes or (b) not serve food. If you're planning anything or meeting people, then either phone in advance, or lean towards the 'chain' pubs that tend to keep standardised hours. And make sure you line up a Plan B just in case of any surprises.

Local Pubs :

Portman Hotel: Second closest pub, across the park and just over the railway line. Doesn't look much from the outside, but belies its appearance and is a friendly venue. This one appeared to be closed for a while, but is now relisted as a Marstons pub serving Ringwood Best and Ringwood Fortyniner. They used to have Sky Sports - they don't specifically mention that they still do, however the description of a 'sports bar' suggests that's still possible. Under previous ownership, this one was a 'home fans only' pub, so be prepared to be discreet with club colours upon entry, just in case. Portman Hotel, 97, Ashley Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth, BH1 4LT. Tel: 01202 397114. Map: Click Here.

Queens Park Hotel: Closest pub to the stadium, up on the dual carriageway. Has a lounge and a public bar. Serves Ringwood Best as well as Flowers and the expected lagers and keg. Food on matchdays is more restricted than at other times - rolls and snacks. Has Sky Sports, and a beer garden for fine weather. There is pool, but the table gets covered on matchdays. Note that this pub may be now reserved for 'home' supporters only, so don't be offended if you are refused admission. Queens Park Hotel, 482, Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth, BH8 9AR. Tel: 01202 720096. Map: Click Here.

Sir Percy Florence Shelley: Typical Wetherspoon in Boscombe's main street. About fifteen minutes walk from the stadium. Opening times under the new laws are : Sunday – Thursday 9.00 a.m. – midnight; Friday - Saturday 9.00 a.m. – 1.00 a.m. has a child certificate and outside area. There is another Wetherspoon - The Moon in the Square - in town, much further from the ground. Sir Percy Florence Shelley, 673-675, Christchurch Street, Boscombe, Bournemouth, BH7 6AA. Tel: 01202 300197. Map: Click Here.

The Dolphin: Large redbrick outlet on the way from the railway station to the stadium. Has had a number of refurbishments and change of management in recent years. Standard drinks range and food. Has Sky and pool. About ten minutes walk from the ground. The Dolphin, 316, Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth, BH8 8AY. Tel: 01202 396673. Map: Click Here.

Likelihood the Natives Will Understand You :

Still Hampshire as far as I'm concerned, but officialdom reclassified Bournemouth into Dorsetshire in 1974. Thus grudgingly one had to accept they were part of God's Own West Country. However in 1995 Bournemouth and Poole acquired unitary authority status and ceased to form part of the County of Dorset. So basically they can p*ss off - bl**din' Eastenders.

Top-Tip :

Try not to offer any criticism to the Bournemouth Chairman. He tends to take offence a little.

Back to Top of Page

[No responsibilty is taken for any inaccuracies. This page is entirely the product of bias and prejudice.]

Back to Top of Page