Bournemouth

This week, we are asking you to share your stories and photos about why you fell in love with Bournemouth.

Here is a selection of your submissions:

Andy: My late father was in charge of the policing at Dean Court in the 1970s and 1980s and from the age of six he would take me to the ground early and leave me in what was the directors' box while he worked. We all dreamed of Division One/Premier League success, but as a young boy I was brought up in the old Division Four playing the likes of Crewe, Scunthorpe and Leyton Orient and I loved every minute of it.

Send us your pictures and stories here

Image source, Getty Images

Former Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen has been nominated for the 2025 Kopa Trophy award for his performances with the club last season.

Huijsen, 20, joined Real Madrid this summer for £50m after impressing with the Cherries last campaign.

The Spain international made 41 appearances last season as Bournemouth finished ninth in the Premier League.

The Kopa Trophy is presented to the best under-21 men's footballer. The winner will be announced on Monday, 22 September 2025 during a ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in central Paris.

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Danielle Sarver Coombs

When it comes to our love for a football club, the answer to why we do lies in "both psychological and societal" reasons.

In the first part of her chat with BBC Sport, researcher and co-writer of the Routledge Handbook of Sport Fans and Fandom Danielle Sarver Coombs spoke about the part that identity and tradition play.

And yet when we are caught up in the emotions of a tough defeat or nerves of an important match, we can often ask why we put ourselves through it.

"There are psychological processes at work and physiological ones in terms of how we respond and engage," Sarver Coombs said.

"An example that I always give is when I take the train to work, I go past Arsenal's stadium and I feel literally nothing other than: 'Oh, that's a big building'. Whereas on a train to Manchester, I went by Villa Park and my heart started pounding. I got all excited and was trying to take pictures out the window.

"I had a visceral reaction to this place. We can't pretend we don't have that sort of physical reaction because we do.

"When someone is talking about a controversial decision and I feel myself getting wound up, even though I intellectually know that I can't control it and that it's just a game, my body doesn't know that.

"My gut doesn't know that and so I have this really emotional response and we can't control that."

A 2023 book titled 'Football on the brain: why minds love sport, external' suggests it comes down to 'an understandable and logical consequence of the human mind's natural inclination to find meaning through beliefs... It's a religion as far as the brain is concerned'.

But it not just about what is going on inside the mind but outside influences too.

"There is a sociological element to it because the community part is such a huge driver and benefit for us," Sarver Coombs explains.

"Sociologically, we are driven to be part of communities. We are driven to find our groups that we can be members of. Sport provides a way to do that - this sense that I was chosen to be part of this community and it's something bigger than I am."

As the game expands, unrest among supporters seems to be increasing, but how does that impact this ingrained love for a club?

"You always go through these cycles when the game is changing," Sarver Coombs said.

"Despite all the changes, the traditions remain so strong and it's such a huge draw that it becomes really hard to actually separate yourself from it. Even if you do, it tends to be a short-term separation. You get sucked back in because something happens.

"People don't want that change, but then we adapt to it and continue moving forward."

Browse this page to see lots of fan stories for how you fell in love with your club.

And check out those from other Premier League teams over here

Image source, Getty Images

As Bournemouth return from playing in the Premier League Summer Series, BBC Sport chief football news reporter Simon Stone tells BBC Radio Solent what he learned spending time around the Cherries in the US: "Iraola seems OK about where Bournemouth are.

"I think he views some of the squad as being where he'd want them to be and some of the squad not quite being up to speed. He wants those 15 players he's going to rely on to be at the same level.

"He is obviously wary about more players potentially leaving the club - like Illia Zabarnyi, who would be a crucial figure.

"Iraola would prefer to lose players in the way that he lost Dean Huijsen early in the summer. He got time to work out how he's going to address it.

"He always talks about the collective being more important than the individuals. And when you're a club the size of Bournemouth, you have to think like that, because you're always at risk after a good season of losing your best players.

"I don't think he's destabilised by the talk of more players leaving, but that would give him another issue he'd prefer not to have to deal with.

"And, clearly, he's wanting players - like Alex Scott in particular - to stay fit so he gets continuity of selection."

Listen to the full chat with Jono Holmes on BBC Sounds here

This week, we are asking you to share your stories and photos for why you fell in love with Bournemouth.

Here is a selection of your submissions:

Richard: My first experience of watching AFC Bournemouth (Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic FC) was with my father when I was about 11 years old (1963) and it was their first match under floodlights, a friendly against a German side.

I spent many hours outside the players' entrance hoping to get the autograph of my heroes. If the first team were playing away, I used to go and watch the A Team playing on a Saturday. At half-time, the Bournemouth orchestra used to march around the pitch while playing and entertaining the crown.

I have remained a supporter throughout my life, and Eddie Howe will always be held fondly. Now we have one of the best managers in the league in Ardoni Iraola and an owner who fully supports the development of the club.

Thank you AFC Bournemouth for so many great years.

Derek: I was born in Bournemouth, Hampshire in 1949. I have always cheered the Cherries on and watched/listened whenever possible. Living in Portsmouth, I went to see them play at Fratton Park but got in the home end by mistake and cheered when Bournemouth scored. Fortunately (unfortunately!), the goal was disallowed. I was lucky to get out in one piece.

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Opta's Supercomputer has once again predicted the upcoming 2025-26 Premier League season by using a model to simulate every match 10,000 times.

Image source, Opta

It is not yet clear if the team that finishes fifth in this season's Premier League will secure a Champions League spot again as that outcome depends on how representatives performance in Europe this season.

Therefore, based on needing a top-four finish to reach the Champions League and fifth getting the Europa League, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are favourites again, but there is still plenty of hope for others.

Aston Villa agonisingly missed out on Champions League qualification on the final day, but in almost a third of simulations they do force their way into a top-four spot this time around.

Newcastle's focus may be on trying to keep star striker Alexander Isak, but currently the Supercomputer predicts the Magpies to finish sixth most often, and a top-four finish in 29.9% of simulations.

Meanwhile, after Crystal Palace's strong end to last season brought a first major trophy, the Eagles are given more than a one-in-five chance of a top-four finish. They manage that achievement in 21.6% of sims, ahead of rivals Brighton (16.8%).

In their second season under Fabian Hurzeler, Brighton are predicted an eight-placed finish in the majority of sims.

The Supercomputer ranks Bournemouth (10.1%) and Nottingham Forest (8.9%) as outside shouts for European football this season.

Perhaps surprisingly, Brentford are predicted to have a strong season despite losing Thomas Frank and key players Bryan Mbuemo and Christian Norgaard - with Yoanne Wissa also looking likely to exit.

If as many as seven or eight Premier League clubs can qualify for Europe next season, the door could be open for a surprise team to sneak in.

Read Opta's full Supercomputer breakdown here, external

We know the relationship between a football fan and their club is a special one so, as we gear up for the new season, we asked you to share why you fell in love with Bournemouth and some of your favourite moments supporting them.

Here are some of your submissions:

Mike: The simple fact that I was brought up in Bournemouth was the deciding factor. My first game was Bournemouth v Liverpool on 27th January 1968 in the FA Cup third round. I was 11 years old and I found it hard to see past the teenagers in front of me, hogging the fence. Apparently, we had a goal disallowed and I nearly got crushed in a sea of duffel coats after the game. The attendance was 24,388.

I also saw Bournemouth beat Margate 11-0 and I have great memories of watching us play during the Harry Redknapp years, when I could see the matches.

Unfortunately I've moved away and I rarely get to games now. People can tease about Bournemouth being a small club but unless you've been on the rollercoaster ride that is supporting Bournemouth, you'll never understand the pride of getting to where we are now.

Send your pictures and stories here

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

'Why did you fall in love with your club?'

This week, we have asked hundreds of football fans across the world that very question and got hundreds of different answers.

Yes, the themes might be similar - born near a ground; family supported the team; watched a certain player - but the individual story will be unique to each supporter.

The relationship between a fan and their club should not be underestimated, with people ploughing uncountable amounts of money, time and emotional energy into their support for their team.

But what is that makes us love our clubs the way we do?

"A lot of it comes down to our identity," researcher and co-writer of the Routledge Handbook of Sport Fans and Fandom Danielle Sarver Coombs told BBC Sport.

"We become part of this group that means so much to us. It becomes a way to find a community that you're a part of and to find a group of people that, no matter where you are, you could find a pub with other fans of your team. You have that kinship.

"In a world that's increasingly quite lonely, this provides one of the ways that we can have connections so we can have the feeling that we're part of something bigger."

Connection and identity plays a big role in someone's love for their club - particularly when it is a family link.

Many fans talk of being born into who they support - that the connection is so strong there was no other team they could, or would, have chosen.

"The great thing with football is that there's such a strong heritage component to it," Sarver Coombs said. "Often, your grandfather, father, mother or whomever was a fan of the team, so it's part of your family's tradition.

"It's handed down from generation to generation."

The uniqueness of football fandom is something researchers are increasingly investigating.

An article, external published earlier this year in psychology journal Frontiers discusses how football fans often follow follow teams with 'significant attachment and commitment, sometimes to the bewilderment of those outside of the game'.

"With football clubs, you have decades of tradition that you can tap into and it's going to keep coming," Sarver Coombs added.

"Players come and go, managers come and go, shirts change, badges change, but the club itself - the heart and soul of it remains constant. You always have that piece that you're tied to, so the longevity of clubs is a really important part.

"But also, that constant in-person opportunity to be present in a community space really sets football apart from other passions that may be transient or do not have that constant engagement."

Share your story in our My Club My Passion campaign

We know the relationship between a football fan and their club is a special one so, as we gear up for the new season, we asked you to share why you fell in love with Bournemouth and some of your favourite moments supporting them.

Henry: In my teenage years, I went to every home game from late 2013 onwards until I turned 16 and needed to start earning some money.

One afternoon on a day off from college, after a Carabao Cup win away at Birmingham City in August, I went to the stadium to get a new shirt for my brother for his upcoming birthday.

While I was waiting for his shirt to be printed, several of the players came in and out of the main entrance, doing their recovery from the previous night's fixture. While many stopped for a photo, Jermain Defoe struck up a conversation with me.

"Have you been to many of the games recently?" he asked. I explained I had previously but was unable to go to many at the time, but mentioned that I had used up my little holiday entitlements to book off the upcoming Friday night fixture mid-September against Brighton and how excited I was.

"Oh really? Well, that's amazing - it's great to hear, so I'll make you a promise. Brighton you say yeah? I'm going to win that one for you. I promise you that - I'll shake on it."

We shook hands and I laughed it off but I admired his confidence and self belief to claim it. Roll on 15 September and a dark cold autumn evening. It was 1-1 after an Andrew Surman goal, but who stepped up? Defoe, 73rd minute, 2-1.

It was the first game I'd been able to attend in over six months and it made the game, the win and the atmosphere all that more personal to me.

Richard: My first experience of watching AFC Bournemouth was with my father when I was about 11 years old (1963). I remember going with him to watch their first ever match under floodlights. It was a friendly against a German side.

Before that, all games were played early in the afternoon. I spent many hours outside the players' entrance hoping to get the autograph of my heroes. If the first team were playing away, I used to go and watch the A Team playing on a Saturday. At half-time, the Bournemouth orchestra used to march around the pitch while playing and entertaining the crowd.

I have remained a supporter throughout my life, despite the team's ups and downs and in particular the year when they were nearly demoted from the Football League.

Eddie Howe will always be held fondly in the hearts of all supporters for not only saving them from relegation, but most of all for getting them promoted to the Premier League. Now we have one of the best managers in the league in Andoni Iraola and an owner who fully supports the develop the club.

So thank you, AFC Bournemouth, for so many great years of watching football.

Send your pictures and stories here

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth were beaten 2-0 by West Ham in the final match of the Premier League Summer Series, in the USA.

Evanilson and Hamed Traore hit the post in the first-half, before Illia Zabarnyi's header was denied by the crossbar in the second-half.

West Ham's Niclas Fullkrug put Graham Potter's men ahead and captain Jarrod Bowen sealed their win with a second in the closing stages.

The Cherries will now return home and conclude their pre-season by hosting Real Sociedad on Saturday, 9 August.

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola - speaking to media before Sunday's final Premier League Summer Series game against West Ham - says he doesn't want a repeat of Wednesday's 4-1 defeat by Manchester United: "It is getting closer. I hope we can finish these two weeks in America with better feelings than we had the other day."

Iraola on the secret behind Bournemouth's success: "We are a strong team as a collective, when everyone is on their best form and we can compete collectively, everyone looks better in our team. Our approach is quite aggressive. Everyone has to play their part. When three, four, five players are not in their best moment, we struggle collectively, everyone looks worse. We have some players who are in a great place at this moment in pre-season, others are not at the level required."

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Paris St-Germain have re-opened negotiations with Bournemouth to sign defender Ilia Zabarnyi.

The European champions are keen to add the Ukraine international defender before their pre-season starts on Wednesday, 6 August.

Talks had initially stalled but PSG have re-opened dialogue with Bournemouth's recruitment staff. However, despite reports in France describing a deal as "close", there remains a gap in valuation between the two clubs.

Bournemouth want a total package of £59m but PSG are looking to negotiate the price down, with Tottenham said to be watching the situation in case the French club walk away.

Zabaryni is keen to move to Parc des Princes and has already agreed personal terms with Luis Enrique's Champions League winners.

Meanwhile, Bournemouth are scouting replacements for both Zabaryni and the departed Dean Huijsen who joined Real Madrid in a £50m move earlier this summer.

They want two new senior central defenders if Zabaryni leaves and have had a £27m bid rejected for Lille centre-back Bafode Diakite. They remain reluctant to pay his £35m asking price.

They are also known admirers of Chelsea's Josh Acheampong and Sevilla's Loic Bade.

Andoni Iraola's side have already replaced Milos Kerkez with Adrien Truffert and are looking for a striker to compete with Evanilson in the final month of the transfer window.

Premier League duo Bournemouth and Liverpool have both opted not to match newly promoted Saudi Pro League side Neom SC's huge offer for Nantes' French defender Nathan Zeze, 20. (TBR Football), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Richard

On Monday, we asked you to tell us why you fell in love with Bournemouth and some of your favourite moments supporting them.

You have already been getting in touch with your photos and stories and here is just a taste from Richard:

"Being an AFC Bournemouth fan means so much to me. I remember getting obsessed with them as we survived relegation, beating Brentford 2-1 in the 1994-95 season.

"Watching with my dad was special for so many years. I now share that passion with my son, who recently was a mascot for the team. Never did I believe we would be a Premier League team all those years ago!"

So join the conversation and send your best photos about why you love the Cherries.

Your first visit to the stadium? A special kit? An amazing away trip?

Send us your pictures and stories

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Premier League officials had been hoping for an attendance of just under 50,000 for the second game of their three-match Summer Series.

However, there were far fewer in the stands by the end as the awful conditions soaked the fans who had remained.

Heavy rain was swept across one end of Soldier Field to the other. There is no cover at the 61,500 arena, which is a surprise given the freezing temperatures this city experiences in the winter and the fact the stadium hosts the Chicago Bears NFL team.

Locals attending tonight's game suggested it was a source of pride for Bears fans that they brave such conditions but evidently, that view is not shared by league chiefs who have never hosted a Super Bowl in Chicago.

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth suffered their first pre-season defeat in heavy rain and swirling wind, losing 4-1 to Manchester United in Chicago.

Both sides went into the match at Soldier Field with positive pre-season records, but Ruben Amorim's side took the convincing win.

Antoine Semenyo had a goal ruled out for offside, with the Cherries' sole consolation coming through a Mattias de Ligt own goal in the 88th minute.

"The weather obviously had a big part in the game," Iraola said post-match. "It was the same for both teams, but especially in the first half the wind was against us and we were struggling to kick the ball around.

"It was the opposite in the second half and we didn't take that advantage, so I think they played much better than us and deserved the win.

"I think this game will probably serve us more than the other day [3-0 win over Everton] because we have made more mistakes and we have more things to correct.

"We struggled because we didn't have that collectiveness. Some players performed well but others did not, and they made everyone look worse. We need all of our players on the same page."

Next, Andoni Iraola's side head to Atlanta next to face West Ham United in their final match of the tournament on Sunday, 3 August (19:00 BST).

Paris St-Germain are pressing on to finalise a deal with Bournemouth for Ukraine defender Illia Zabarnyi, 22. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, AFC Bournemouth

Bournemouth have unveiled their away kit for the 2025-26 season, saying that bringing back blue and black stripes "pays homage to the club's rich history".

The last time the Cherries had this combination was the 2011-12 season in League One.

The strip will be worn for the first time in the Summer Series game against Manchester United in Chicago on Thursday (02:30 BST).

Bournemouth, Aston Villa, Everton and Liverpool are set to miss out on highly rated 20-year-old Frenchman Nathan Zeze, with the Nantes defender preferring a move to Saudi Pro League side Neom SC. (Sun, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

There is something unique about a football fan's love for their club.

As once said by the great Arrigo Sacchi: "Football is the most important of the least important things in life".

Tears of joy - and heartbreak. Friendships forged. Memories that last a lifetime.

Sometimes it is there from the beginning, sometimes a moment is what starts it all or takes it to another level.

Wherever it comes from, the love for a club is often there for life.

As a new season edges closer, we want to know why you love Bournemouth.

When was the moment it all began?

What is your most special memory?

Your first home game? Earliest shirt? A seminal away trip?

Send us your pictures and stories

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter at the MetLife Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola and Everton counterpart David Moyes had a bit of a grumble about the state of the pitch at the MetLife Stadium on Saturday night.

This follows on from complaints during the recent Club World Cup.

It is not ideal given the venue will host the World Cup final in 12 months' time.

The good news is, it won't be the same pitch. In fact, the surface used last night for the double-header which also saw Manchester United beat West Ham was a different one to the Club World Cup.

This pitch was laid at the beginning of the week after three shows by country music star Zach Bryan and will be taken up this week in time for WWE's Summer Slam on Saturday and Sunday.

The pitch will be taken to a local farm where it will be used to make compost soil.

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter at the MetLife Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola says he is "happy" to have Philip Billing back at the club but is not sure if the midfielder will still be around when the transfer window closes.

Billing spent the second half of last season on loan at Napoli.

He played often enough to be part of a Serie A winning side – and scored a crucial 87th-minute equaliser against champions Inter Milan in March - but not enough to persuade the Italians to take up an option to make the move permanent.

Billing proved his value with an excellent opener in Bournemouth's outstanding 3-0 win against Everton in the opening game of the Cherries' three-match Premier League Summer Series campaign.

But no-one can be sure how long the 29-year-old midfielder will be around for.

"I am happy to have him back," said Iraola.

"Even not playing a lot of minutes for Napoli, even from the bench he was very important. Winning Serie A is big achievement, even if you are not one of the starters.

"But sometimes it is not us pushing for a move. Sometimes it is the players who are not happy with their roles and they are the ones who want to try something else.

"It is a question for him and more a decision from him and the club."

Iraola said there would be further movement of incomings and outgoings before the transfer window closes on 1 September.

But he refused to confirm Bournemouth's interest in Chelsea's 19-year-old defender Josh Acheampong.

"I cannot speak about players who are not ours," Iraola added.