Bournemouth have written themselves into the history books in Europe, as they beat Sparta Prague 3-1 away on Thursday night in the Europa League to make it four wins from four in their first-ever European campaign.
According to Opta, Bournemouth are the second English team to win each of their first four matches in major European competition (including Fairs Cup), after Liverpool in 1964.
The Cherries opened their first-ever European campaign with a 2-1 away win against Spanish side Real Sociedad, on matchday 2 they overcame Sturm Graz 3-0.
Their third fixture saw them outclass seven-time Champions League winners AC Milan 3-0 before recording a 3-1 win over Sparta Prague.
Thursday’s win means it’s also their seventh straight win in all competitions – they have beaten Man United 3-0, Aston Villa 3-0, and Leeds 2-0 during that run.
Bournemouth, who are in eight place on 12 points, will be in action in the Premier League on Sunday away to Ipswich Town.
The Cherries adopted the name AFC Bournemouth for the start of the 1971–72 season, with the intention that the club would appear first in alphabetical lists of English clubs whilst also keeping the initialism of AFC (Athletic Football Club) as part of their name.
The team’s red-and-black kit, introduced in 1971, was based on the AC Milan strip. This was the era of Ted MacDougall, a prolific goalscorer who, in an FA Cup tie in November 1971, scored nine goals in an 11–0 win against Margate.
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Bournemouth recorded a famous victory over holders Manchester United in the FA Cup in January 1984, while they were managed by Harry Redknapp.
Redknapp took Bournemouth into the second tier of the English league for the first time in their history as Third Division champions in 1987.
After comfortably surviving in their first season in the Second Division, Bournemouth made a serious challenge for promotion to the top flight in the 1988–89 season; they ultimately fell away after a poor run late in the season, but their eventual finish of 12th place remained their highest-ever in the Football League until the 2013–14 season.
The club spent most of the 2014–15 season near the top of the table, and a 3–0 win away at Charlton Athletic on the final day of the season was enough to clinch the Championship title and a first-ever promotion to the Premier League.
