The season of the underdog – words best describing the recently concluded English League campaign. Leicester’s meteoric rise to the champions of England has been well documented throughout and deserved plaudits meted out to their manager as well as the players. Much, if not all of the attention has been directed towards the likes of Leicester, Tottenham, and the traditionally big clubs.
A title triumph is near miraculous for a club that staved off relegation by the skin of their teeth. But there has been another club who had a miraculous season themselves but have gone about their job silently without creating much noise among the football faithful or the traditional media. No, their success has not been of the grandiose nature of the foxes, but when you consider that they went into near extinction 8 years ago, AFC Bournemouth’s inaugural campaign has been nothing short of miraculous.
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Whilst a 16th place finish, with a total of 42 points for a newly promoted club isn’t unheard of. The size of the club and the odds they faced to fight to get here, make this a story worth telling.
Bournemouth, a tiny city on the south coast of England has a rich footballing history with their club being formed in the late 1800’s. However, poor management and ownership troubles drove them to near extinction in 2008. In a season where two big English clubs, Aston Villa and Newcastle saw themselves relegated, the Cherries secured safety way back in early April and were never involved in a relegation dogfight.
Rise to the Premier League
After heading into administration for a second time, the Football League gave a 17 point deduction and an 18-month transfer embargo. The club, in the lowest division of the football league, headed into 2009, 10 points off safety and relegation looming large, meaning extinction if they failed to stay up. Chairman, Jeff Mostyn, took a decision, what most people considered lunacy by appointing a 31-year-old rookie manager.
Eddie Howe, the youngest manager ever in the Football League was a product of the Bournemouth academy and had been at the club since the age of 10. Severe injuries forced him to retire at 28 and he immediately took over as reserve team manager. He was initially appointed as caretaker manager, but despite suffering defeats in his first two games, he secured the permanent position in January 2009.
Howe then took the club to safety, after they secured a dramatic 2-1 win over Grimsby on the final day of the season. The following season saw them promoted to league one. Howe was receiving rave reviews for his management and the style of play he professed. Sought after by a number of championship sides, he refused to leave the club.
Finally, in 2011, he took over championship side Burnley. With Howe’s exit, the club went back into adversity with a dismal start to the 2011-12 campaign. Hanging close to the relegation zone, the club decided to bring back their young prodigy. Howe made his return to Bournemouth in November 2012. He steadied the ship and not only ensured safety but earned them a promotion with a second place finish.
Life in the championship was not all rosy in the beginning as the Cherries could only manage a 10th place finish, 8 points off the playoff berths. Howe, a manager not known for splashing the cash was being backed by the new club owner, Maxim Denim.
Denim, a Russian oil baron, bought the club in 2011. With money available, Howe signed league one star Callum Wilson and made smart loan deals for striker Kenwyne Jones and Keeper Artur Boruc.
New additions and rise in the level of play of the existing players helped Bournemouth to a promotion to the Premier League. They went on to win the championship (2014-15), scoring 94 goals en-route. Midfielder Matt Richie finished with 15 goals and 17 assists and was voted their player of the season. Wilson would finish with 20 goals, 4th highest in the championship.
In Wilson and Ritchie, the club possessed players who had the skill and desire to make it big in the Premier League and had experience in players such as Simon Francis, Harry Arter and Adam Smith. The addition of quality in the form of Max Gradel and Tyrone Mings promised them a bright first campaign in the top flight.
Life in the Premier League
As most pundits expected, the Cherries made an off start and problems seemed to mount with both their summer signings sustaining season-ending injuries.
Untethered, Howe stuck to his style of play, never altering to a more defensive and lower possession game. The confidence he placed in his players and the system resonated through his squad with players stepping up their games to come up with some key victories. Striker Wilson was on a brilliant run, scoring 5 in his first 2 months in the league.
In him they had a reliable source of goals, they had a player who promised goals and was clinical. The ghost of 2008 struck them again as Wilson sustained an injury that would end his season. Devoid of their star striker and new signings, the Cherries looked to be heading back to the championship.
“Together, anything is possible”, the motto of the club. The manager, players, fans live by it and the feeling of togetherness is persistent in and around the club. In Howe, they possessed a man who had the ability to bring out the best from every player.
Results gradually improved and they went on mini-undefeated runs. Their most noteworthy run coming in December, with back to back victories against Chelsea and Manchester united.
Turning Point
If one had to point to a single game as their turning point, it would be the 3-3 home draw against Everton. Going into half-time trailing by 2, they came out all guns blazing to level the matters. A 95th minute Ross Barkley goal looked to have sealed off the points for the Toffees and condemn Bournemouth to another home defeat.
The match, 98 minutes in, was allowed to carry on by the ref, and it was enough time for one more attack. Junior Stanislas headed in from a Charlie Daniels cross and sparked title-winning like celebrations among the fans. The Cherries never looked back from then and had reached 38 points before the start of April.
They were well and clear of the drop zone and assured of another year of football in the top flight.
Fatigue from a first season of high octane football coupled with knowledge of safety fizzled out their momentum and they went into a slew of defeats. They collected only 4 points from the last 8 games. Defensive weakness was very evident, it is an issue Howe will have to solve over the summer if he wants to achieve a top table finish the next season.
With Maxim Denim at the helm, they have an owner who has the financial muscle to back the club. And the new TV deal kicking in from next season, some key transfers look very possible.
The current crop of talented, hard-working players and a manager, whose age has no relation to his footballing acumen; the Cherries will continue dreaming and hope to add more chapters to their fabled rise.
The Leicester Story maybe one of a kind and might never happen again, but what their success has taught is that one can always dream and dreams do come true
