AFC Bournemouth history AFC Bournemouth history Posted: Thu 24 May 2012 Author: afcb.co.uk Image by: The Early Years The present football club can trace its roots as far back as 1890 when Boscombe St. Johns Institute Football Club were playing in local football. They disbanded in 1899 and from the remains of that club, Boscombe FC were formed at a meeting under the streetlights in Gladstone Road, Boscombe. The Club competed in the Bournemouth and District Junior League playing at a ground in Castlemain Avenue, Pokesdown. They moved to Kings Park, adjacent to the current stadium in 1902 and were soon emerging as the top team in the town. After enjoying many local successes, they joined the Hampshire League and were attracting large crowds. In 1910, Mr. J.E. Cooper-Dean granted the club on a long lease some wasteland next to Kings Park. With their own ground, named Dean Court after the benefactor, the club continued to thrive and dominated the local football scene. It was around this time that the club gained the nickname, 'The Cherries'.

There are two main stories on to why the club would be called such a name. Firstly the Cherry Red striped shirts the side wore and secondly, Dean Court was built next to the Cooper-Dean estate which included many Cherry Orchards. The club signed their first professional player in 1910, B.Penton, who signed from Southampton for a £10 fee. The club then moved in to the South Eastern League but this proved to be a big leap and the side finished bottom of the table. With the outbreak of war in 1914, the progress of the club was halted and they returned to the Hampshire league in 1919. The club was ambitious and when the Third Division was formed in 1920, they moved up to the highly competitive Southern League as many clubs in that league went on to form the Third Division. After three years in the Southern League, the club applied for membership of the Football League. The application was accepted and Boscombe would be playing in the Third Division (South) in the 1923-24 season.

Bournemouth and Boscombe At the public house where the side used to change before matches, The Portman Hotel, a meeting decided that the club would change its name to 'Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic Football Club'. The first ever league match was at Swindon on 25 August 1923 at Swindon where Bournemouth lost 3-1. The first ever league game at Dean Court was also against Swindon and it was against these opponents that Bournemouth gained their first ever league point in a 0-0 draw. Bournemouth struggled initially in the Football League, but firmly established themselves as a Third Division side and they still hold the record for the longest continuous membership of the Division. As a league club, they had to wait until after the war for their first trophy. That came when Walsall were beaten at Stamford Bridge in the Third Division (South) Cup. The Cup Run of 1956-57 The Cherries finally hit the headlines in the 1956-57 season after a fabulous run in the FA Cup despite being handed some of the hardest draws imaginable.

After beating Burton Albion, Swindon and Accrington Stanley, they were drawn away to Wolves, then third in the top flight. An amazing 1-0 win saw Bournemouth earn a home tie against Spurs, then the second side in the First Division. A stunning performance saw Bournemouth win through 3-1 and were then handed a home tie against Manchester United - the top side in the country! The dream ended there in controversial circumstances. United won 2-1 in front of a record 28,799 crowd at Dean Court through a goal that looked offside and a questionable penalty. Despite the defeat, Bournemouth grabbed the nations imaginations and were awarded 'The Giant Killers Cup'. The 1970s & The Bond Years Hopes were high for success but the cup run was not built on and in 1970, the side slipped to Division Four. Relegation proved to be a blessing in disguise and the club entered an exciting few years. Under John Bond, the side won promotion for the first time and he built up a side that were a joy to watch.

Ted MacDougall was the hero with players such as Phil Boyer and Mel Machin supplying 'SuperMac' with chance after chance. MacDougall scored 49 goals in the 70-71 season and in the following campaign, he put nine past Margate in the 11-0 FA Cup win. With a change of name to 'AFC Bournemouth', the club looked for success and Bond wished to be a first division manger at Dean Court. Unfortunately, MacDougall left for Manchester United after the side had finished third in Division Three at a time when only two clubs went up. Bond himself left for Norwich with many players following him and the 20,000+ crowds disappeared quickly and the club was left deep in debt and struggling on the field. Relegation came in 1975 and a depressing few years followed in Division Four with crowds rarely over 3,000 and mid-table was all that could be hoped for. The arrival of Alec Stock as manager installed pride back in the club and it was at that time that David Webb was offered a chance in to the management side of football. He put together a good side which won promotion in 1982.

The 1980s and Our Harry After Webb was dismissed, the club seemed to be heading back to the dark days of Division Four under Don Megson, but the appointment of Harry Redknapp was to change the club. His early finest hour came when cup holder Manchester United were beaten by second from bottom Bournemouth in the 3rd round of the FA Cup on 7 January 1984. A man with an eye for a bargain transformed Bournemouth into a tremendous team and the club had won the Associate Members Cup at Hull, established a 97 point record in the 1986-87 season to lift the Division Three Championship. There were three dramatic season in the higher division. After a difficult first season, 12th place was gained in the 1988-89 season, the clubs best ever, and also the fifth round of the FA Cup was reached. Injuries decimated the squad the following season and after the play-offs had been discussed as late in the season as February, a poor run when the entire defence were out injured saw the side relegated on the final day of the season with that fateful match against Leeds at Dean Court.

The 1990s: Survival & Splender Failure to reach the play-offs during the next two seasons saw Harry Redknapp retire from football, although he was soon back with West Ham. Tony Pulis took over, but by then the club was in a terrible financial mess and Pulis had little money to spend. Pulis left just before the start of the 1994-95 season and with no manager and a bare bones squad, the Cherries lost all of their first seven games. Mel Machin then came in and after the side had gained just 9 points by Christmas, there was little hope of avoiding the drop. However, some great signings and inspirational leadership by Machin saw the side achieve 'The Great Escape'. Behind the scenes, the financial worries were always there and these came to a head in late 1996, early 1997. The receivers were called in and the future looked bleak as the extent of the mess was revealed. Supporters rallied and a trust fund was set up with thousands pouring in. Despite the support, Bournemouth were 15 minutes from closing down at one stage.

With no benefactor to step in, present Chairman Trevor Watkins, then in charge of the Trust Committee announced that the trust fund was going to bid to take the club over. This was ultimately successful and Europe's first ever community Club was formed. The opening game of the 1997-98 season at Northampton, the clubs 3001st league match was one of great celebration of a dream come true. If the Cherries had won no games whatsoever during the 1997-98 season, it would really not have mattered too much. The mere fact that the club was there was what mattered. It turned out to be an incredible season. The play offs were just missed and Wembley was reached in the Auto Windscreens Shield. 34,000 Bournemouth supporters travelled to Wembley - an incredible achievement for a club so close to closing down just a year before. The 1998-99 season saw many of the young players come to the fore and with larger crowds than in many years, the side played some exceptional football and looked certain to reach the play offs but despite reaching 76 points, the side finished seventh and incredibly missed out on the end of season shake up.

2000 - A NEW ERA Record appearance maker Sean O'Driscoll took over as first team manager in 2000. And by the end of his first season in charge, he had led the side from the bottom of the table to the in-form team in the UK. They narrowly missed out on the play-offs when Reading equalized with just two minutes left to deny the Cherries a chance of a shot at Division One - a superb achievement for a manager who has never had any money to buy a player. On Saturday 28 April 2001, the Cherries moved out of Dean Court to set up a temporary at Dorchester's Avenue Stadium whilst a new stadium is built partially on the site of the old ground, with the pitch turned by 90 degree's. The 2001/2002 season proved to be a defining season for the Cherries in more ways than one. The temporary stay at Dorchester came to a 4-2 winning end against Notts County after being 2-0 down. On November 10th 2001, Bournemouth returned to the now named Fitness First Stadium at Dean Court and how!

Local lad Brian Stock became the first ever player to score at the new ground and his goal was added to by great strikes from James Hayter and Jason Tindall. It was a bridge too far for the youngest Cherries side in history though. Just three more wins followed after the stadium christening and relegation to the third division was cast on the final day at Wrexham. Cherries kept faith with Sean O'Driscoll and he led the team to promotion at the first attempt culminating in a terrific 5-2 victory over Lincoln City at The Millennium Stadium. Sean O'Driscoll left the Cherries after twenty-two years service to the club and became Manager of Doncaster Rovers. Kevin Bond took charge late in 2006 and steered the club to League One survival with player of the year and former England International Darren Anderton playing a key role. The 07-08 season though saw the club struggle from the start and were foot of the table. A brief rise was short lived as the financial problems saw the club enter administration and receive a ten point deduction.

With a handful of games left and 14 points from safety, the side put in a fantastic run and so nearly preserved their league 1 status, only to be thwarted in the final game of the season away at Carlisle with over 1,700 Cherries supporters making the trip to see the 1-1 draw. The club finally came out of administration at the start of the 2008-09 season under the new owenership of Paul Baker and Sport-6. They were saddled with another points deduction, this time 17. Kevin Bond lasted for four games, but poor performances saw him replaced by Jimmy Quinn in September 2008 with Jason Tindall as his assistant. Under Quinn, the team still struggled to come to terms on the pitch and after 20 games in charge, he was replaced on New Years Eve by Eddie Howe. Eddie was initially taken on in a caretaker role, before being given the job until the end of the season. The only way that the side could hope to stay up was to show promotion form. Big Steve Fletcher returned to the club as one of Howe's first signings and that proved pivitol.

11 wins after Fletch returned saw the side preserve their league status and fittingly, it was Fletcher who scored the winning goal in the vital match against Grimsby, his 100th league goal in his 702nd professional appearance. The side then completed the remarkable turnaround with an emphatic 4-0 win at Morecambe on the final day of the season. Promotion against the odds The 2009-10 season started with Eddie Mitchell coming in as the new Chairman at the club. He inherited legacy debts, but through sheer hard work, reduced these as the club stood on it's own two feet. Despite all that work, Eddie Howe had to work under the constraints of a player embargo. With a squad of just 19 players and no loan players, apart frpom the returning Rhoys Wiggins, the side enjoyed their best ever start to a league season and kept up the fine form throughout the campaign and at a glorious day at Burton, gained promotion, finally finishing in second place against all the odds.

So close Despite losing Brett Pitman early in the season and then Josh McQuoid, the Cherries became the surprise package in League 1 in the 2010-11 season. Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall left for Burnley in January 2011 with Lee Bradbury and Steve Fletcher taking over, and they took the side in to the League 1 Play Offs for the first time after the side finished 6th. The Cherries had two epic encounters with Huddersfield with the second leg hailed as one of the greatest play-off matches ever seen. The 3-3 draw made it 4-4 on aggregate before the Cherries suffered the heartbreak of going out on penalties, The 2011-12 season could be seen as one of transition as the majority of the successful squad left for pastures new. The club had the boost of Max Demin coming in to become a major shareholder. Lee Bradbury was replaced with seven games to go after a run of disappointing results, Paul Groves stepping in as a caretaker, with that position being made permanent in the summer of 2012.

Related Articles 18 Jan 2017 Lewis Cook - I feel back... Lewis Cook was back in the thick of the action last night at Gosport Borough, as the young midfielder stepped-up his return from injury 18 Jan 2017 Marc Pugh and Ryan Fraser... Cherries midfielders Marc Pugh and Ryan Fraser joined players from the AFC Bournemouth academy to listen to David Thomas, a renowned motivational speaker. The event was sponsored by academy partner, Strategic Solutions. 18 Jan 2017 Media view: Word from... Watford travel to Vitality Stadium on Saturday to face AFC Bournemouth and we get the inside word on the Hornets from Watford Observer journalist Simon Mail 18 Jan 2017 Stephen Purches - We... The AFC Bournemouth under-21s romped into the Hampshire Senior Cup semi-finals last night with a resounding 6-0 away success at Gosport Borough 17 Jan 2017 Under-21s: Gosport...

AFC Bournemouth cruised into the semi-finals of the Hampshire Senior Cup final with a 6-0 win away at Gosport Borough 17 Jan 2017 Ref watch: Lee Mason to... AFC Bournemouth host Watford on Saturday and referee Lee Mason will be the man with the whistle at Vitality Stadium Bournemouth's rise to Premier League football - CNN.com — AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) May 3, 2015 5. The club were on the verge of oblivion — twice While the club is finding its way onto the back pages for footballing reasons, it was financial troubles that nearly put Bournemouth out of existence twice in the last 20 years. It became Europe's first community-owned club when a supporter's trust was set up in 1997. Players had to host a bucket collection in the town to help raise the funds. In the 2007-08 season, Bournemouth went into administration once more and were seconds away from liquidation until chairman Jeff Mostyn wrote a check for £100,000 ($153,000) to stave off the debt collectors.

After starting the 2008-09 campaign with a 17-point deduction, they were saved from relegation in the final home game of the season when club legend Steve Fletcher scored the winning goal to stop the team falling out of the bottom division of the Football League. 6. They are coached by the 'Manager of the Decade' Former player Eddie Howe was tasked with rescuing the team from what looked like certain relegation, following a 17-point deduction, from League Two on New Year's Eve 2008. At the time, he was England's youngest ever league manager at the age of 31. In six years, and over two spells, he's taken the club he supported as child from the bottom of the ladder to within one game of playing in front of an estimated worldwide audience of four billion people. He is only one of a handful of managers ever to lead their team through all three divisions to Premier League promotion. This has all been enough to earn him the first Football League Manager of the Decade award at a ceremony held in April. The achievements of Eddie Howe at Bournemouth make me wonder whether we've possibly found the English 'special one'.

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) April 27, 2015 7. It'll be worth at least £120 million ($183,500,000 dollars) to a team that has never spent big The club is owned by enigmatic Russian Maxim Demin. Not much is known about the media-shy petro-chemical magnate who's based in Switzerland. His interest in the club came after having a house built by former chairman and owner Eddie Mitchell in the upmarket Sandbanks -- once the fourth most expensive place to buy property in the world. After buying out the property developer of his home, he has bankrolled the club of late, investing around $15 million by most reports. But the team's promotion will earn them unprecedented sums in Europe's most profitable league. The figure is a minimum -- if Bournemouth stay up, they will benefit from the new TV rights deal worth $7.8 billion to the Premier League, banking them a further $153 million. The team's biggest transfer has been the purchase of top scorer Callum Wilson for $4.6 million. 8.

Bournemouth won't be the only team you've never heard of in a top European league. Carpi, a team who play in front of crowds of around 4,000 people, earned their place in Italy's Serie A on Wednesday. They have made the rise from the fifth tier of Italian football, one better than Bournemouth. CNN also wrote about the ascent of tiny Eibar who represented themselves well in a first season in Spain's La Liga. Eibar only has a population of 22,000 people compared to Bournemouth being home to nearly 200,000 people. 9. The club changed their name to top the league The team changed its name from Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic Football Club to AFC Bournemouth so they could top the league alphabetically while at the same time sounding similar to the names of great teams in Europe. The Cherries nickname comes from playing on the site of the Cooper-Dean estate which was home to a number of cherry orchards. The team also play in red and black stripes. A photo posted by AFC Bournemouth (@officialafcb) on Mar 3, 2015 at 1:45pm PST 10.

The town has the best beaches in the Premier League The town grew in popularity back in the 18th century as a pleasant place to escape London's smog and relax on the golden sands of its 11 kilometer coastline. Manager Eddie Howe believes the club's promotion will boost the town's image. "This is one of the nicest parts in England and now more people are going to get to see it," he said at a press conference on Thursday. "It's not every day that you'll get the numbers that will come here and it can only be a good thing for local businesses." He added: "To see the Bournemouth name being talked about around the world has been so good to see." Bournemouth set to be Premier League's smallest club - ITV News 27 April 2015 at 3:21pm Bournemouth set to be Premier League's smallest club Eddie Howe has masterminded their charge. Photo: PA Bournemouth will effectively win promotion from the Championship to the Premier League if they beat Bolton at home on Monday. How have a club on the south coast with a capacity of 12,000 found themselves on the verge of becoming a competitor in the world's wealthiest league?

Nicknamed the Cherries, Bournemouth were in England's fourth tier as recently as 2010. Since 2003 they've faced the prospect of extinction and two severe points deductions, which almost cost them their place in the Football League. Chairman Jeff Mostyn, left, saved the club from extinction. Credit: PA Five years ago we were on the abyss. We were 10 minutes away from the Conference and the chances are we would never have got out of the Conference with the resources we had available to us at that stage. – Jeff Mostyn Five years ago the club were battling to stay in the Football League having been sanctioned to the tune of a 17-point deduction. In order to save them that season they appointed club stalwart and the league's youngest manager, 31-year-old Eddie Howe. The youthful coach kept them in the division and ensured they would continue to rise from then on. Howe took them into League One in 2010 and got them into the play-offs in the first season back in the second tier, before departing for a year in charge of Burnley. Players like Matt Ritchie have fired them upwards.

Credit: PA We’ve always been a community club and I think it’s really important for the players to step out of the bubble that they’re in at times. – Eddie Howe speaking to The Guardian Lee Bradbury replaced Howe at the helm, with his most infamous moment in charge being when the Russian owner's wife took the half-time talk, despite a lack of 'football intelligence' and ability to speak English, but the club have become more professional since then. When things didn't work out personally for Howe, he return to Dean Court to re-energise the Cherries. In 2011 Russian Maxim Demin became the club's co-owner, with his financial support aiding the club's success. From this point on healthy investment has been put into the squad. IN the last two years they've spent a combined total of over £5million on strikers Tokelo Rantie and Callum Wilson. In an attempt to boost their promotion charge in January the club lodged a number of bids, up to £3.5million, for Birmingham teenager Demarai Gray, but had them turned down by their Championship rivals, but it was a sign of intent. Callum Wilson cost more than £2million.

Credit: PA We would be the smallest club to ever play in the Premier League and probably ever would be. It would be the greatest fairy tale since Hans Christian Andersen wrote his last one. – Mostyn speaking to the Telegraph As well as the the big money signings, Howe has incorporated the likes of Harry Arter, a midfielder bought for £4,000 from non-league Woking, Matt Ritchie came from Swindon and has now scored 23 league goals in 90 appearances on the left-hand side of midfield. Bournemouth haven't forgotten their lowly days in the fourth tier; local hero Steve Fletcher is still at the club where he made over 700 appearances, working as head of recruitment alongside his former team-mate Howe. Despite their success, Bournemouth can only boast an average attendance slightly north of 10,000, more than 6,000 below the league average, and hope to expand the Goldsands Stadium to 18,000 in the future. Howe was recently named Football League Manager of the Decade for the work he has done with Bournemouth and looks set to crown it with a triumph, which seemed like an impossible achievement until recently.

The Goldsands Stadium only holds 12,000. Credit: PA Ever since the day I came here, something was always improving whether it was the training ground, the stadium or playing staff. That is a hard thing to find in football these days, clubs that want to make that progression. – Captain Tommy Elphick Alongside the fairytale are some overhanging questions about owner Demin. The Russian, a petrochemicals trader, has a house near Poole, but lives in Switzerland and does not speak to the media. His UK business, Wintel Petrochemicals, is owned by a trust based in Guernsey and little is known about how he made his fortune. Demin's money has been significant for the club, especially considering the fact they recorded a £15.3million in 2012-13 season, but they have managed to pass all Financial Fair Play checks recently. Official Bournemouth Football Shirts & New Kit Releases Bournemouth 2016/17 JD Sports Third Shirt JD Sports complete their Premier League club of AFC Bournemouth's kit collection for 2016/17 by revealing a new third shirt.

After JD Sports revealed The Cherries stunning home and away shirts for the upcoming Premier League campaign, the alternative kit suppliers to the mega brands of Nike, adid [...] JD Sports complete their Premier League club of AFC Bournemouth's kit collection for 2016/17 by revealing a new third shirt. After JD Sports revealed The Cherries stunning home and away shirts for the upcoming Premier League campaign, the alternative kit suppliers to the mega brands of Nike, adid [...] Bournemouth 2016/17 JD Sports Away Shirt Premier League high achievers Bournemouth unveil their 2016/17 away shirt for another year of Premier League football. After defeating the odds by surviving the dreaded Premier League drop last term, the 'Cherries' now look to go above and beyond expectations once again in the upcoming season wea [...] Premier League high achievers Bournemouth unveil their 2016/17 away shirt for another year of Premier League football.

After defeating the odds by surviving the dreaded Premier League drop last term, the 'Cherries' now look to go above and beyond expectations once again in the upcoming season wea [...] Bournemouth 3-0 Bolton Wanderers - BBC Sport Dervite (Dismissed at 70' minutes) Bournemouth 3-0 Bolton Wanderers BBC Sport at Goldsands Stadium 27 Apr 2015 Bournemouth fans sang the Match of the Day theme tune as they celebrated during the game Bournemouth all but promoted to Premier League Three points and 19 goals ahead of Middlesbrough South-coast club were minutes from liquidation in 2008 Title race with Watford goes down to final day Bournemouth effectively sealed a £100m promotion to the Premier League - just seven years after the south-coast club almost went out of business. Victory over Bolton took the Cherries three points clear of third-placed Middlesbrough with just one game left. Only defeat, a Boro win and a 20-goal swing on the final day of the season can deny them a top-flight spot.

Goals from Marc Pugh, Matt Ritchie and Callum Wilson sparked wild scenes of celebration amongst the home fans. Charlton, who play Bournemouth on Saturday, could yet spoil the promotion party Bournemouth's impending promotion marks an amazing rise through the Football League for the club, who were in administration and close to liquidation in 2008. They only just avoided relegation in 2009 - Eddie Howe's first season as manager - but promotion to League One followed the season after. Former Cherries defender Howe then led them into the Championship in 2013 after returning to the south coast from Burnley. Howe's contribution cannot be overstated, with the 37-year-old set to join an elite band of managers to guide a club through the Football League and into the top flight. "This club was on its knees six years ago," Howe told BBC Radio 5 live. "We had nothing. A group of supporters put their money in their pockets to keep the club alive and they are reaping the rewards. It is the club I watched as a kid, the club that gave me an opportunity in the game as a player and a manager. "It shouldn't be them thanking me, it should be me thanking them.

It is a family club and deserves its moment in the sun." Bournemouth's success this season owes much to the goals of record signing Wilson, a £3m capture from Coventry at the start of the season. Both Wilson and Ritchie went close to giving the Cherries the lead several times in a frenetic opening. But after several fine saves from Adam Bogdan, the opener arrived on 39 minutes, when Pugh beat the Bolton goalkeeper with a left-foot shot. It prompted joy in the stands of the 11,700-capacity Goldsands Stadium - and there was better to come just four minutes later, when Ritchie latched onto Yann Kermorgant's lay-off to drive home from 12 yards. Bournemouth's fans started signing the theme tune to Match of the Day as the realisation hit home that they would be seeing their side in the top flight of English football for the first time in the club's history. Kermorgant had the chance to make the final 20 minutes a formality, but he blazed over the bar from the penalty spot after Dorian Dervite was dismissed for hauling down Wilson.

Wilson made it 3-0 after he spun and shot smartly past Bogdan to turn the remaining 12 minutes into a carnival. The final whistle sparked a pitch invasion from home fans, who could yet be celebrating the Championship title if results go their way on Saturday.

Callum Wilson has scored 23 goals this season following a £3m move from Coventry Bournemouth's fans invaded the pitch at full-time 30 Ritchie Substituted for Fraser at 83'minutes 6 Surman 8 Arter Booked at 85mins 7 Pugh Substituted for Gosling at 89'minutes 18 Kermorgant Substituted for Pitman at 80'minutes 13 C Wilson 14 Dervite Booked at 70mins 5 Ream Booked at 68mins 3 Moxey 7 Feeney Substituted for Threlkeld at 63'minutes 16 Davies Substituted for Gudjohnsen at 63'minutes 18 Danns 9 Le Fondre Substituted for Woolery at 79'minutes 19 Heskey AFC Bournemouth - Football - BBC Sport AFC Bournemouth The FA charge former non-league player Alfie Barker over tweets sent to Bournemouth's Harry Arter.

18 Jan Premier League clubs should face legal action if they fail to meet the needs of disabled fans, according to a new report. 16 Jan New boss Marco Silva guides Hull to victory in his first Premier League match as the Tigers move off the foot of the table. 14 Jan Sign Up Log In See more of AFC Bournemouth by logging into Facebook Message this Page, learn about upcoming events and more. If you don't have a Facebook account, you can create one to see more of this Page. Liverpool 1-0 Bournemouth - BBC Sport Liverpool 1-0 Bournemouth Chief football writer at Anfield 17 Aug 2015 Media playback is not supported on this device Liverpool 1-0 Bournemouth: Christian Benteke was excellent - Brendan Rodgers Christian Benteke's controversial winner on his Anfield debut ensured Liverpool maintained their 100% start to the new season with an unconvincing victory over Premier League newcomers Bournemouth. Liverpool's £32.5m summer signing from Aston Villa turned home from close range in front of the Kop after 26 minutes - but Philippe Coutinho was clearly offside as he also tried to reach Jordan Henderson's cross.

Philippe Coutinho tried to make things happen all match and his touch map shows a constant supply of ammunition for Christian Benteke It meant a second successive narrow defeat for Bournemouth, who showed plenty of confidence and promise and were also frustrated when Tommy Elphick's early header was ruled out by referee Craig Pawson for a foul on Dejan Lovren. Mini Monday Night Club podcast: Post-match reaction from Anfield Eddie Howe's side had plenty of possession but rarely troubled Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and it was Benteke who came closest to adding a second on his impressive Anfield bow when he struck the bar from close range in the last minute. It was a case of job done for Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers in front of watching owner John W Henry with a second win and second clean sheet of the new season. Big man Benteke delivers Benteke was Liverpool's biggest summer investment and Rodgers needs him to deliver - and fast - to ease the pain of last season. And the early signs were very promising, not just with his winning goal, but also his all-round play.

Christian Benteke scored 49 goals in 101 games for Aston Villa after signing from Genk for £7m in 2012 The giant Belgian showed his power in the air on several occasions, demonstrating a physical presence that will give a Reds side with a possession-heavy game an added dimension. Benteke also showed good team awareness and pace on several occasions, his link with Coutinho looked like it could be highly productive as the season progresses. Bournemouth can take heart Media playback is not supported on this device Liverpool 1-0 Bournemouth: Two decisions cost Cherries - Howe It has been a hard landing for Bournemouth in the Premier League with defeats by Aston Villa and now Liverpool, but there is plenty for Howe to take away from this visit to one of the biggest stages in English football. The Cherries may need to solve a lack of goals in coming months but they were not daunted by Liverpool or the Kop and played with a confident passing style that will certainly not look out of place in the top flight.

It will be a tough season for Bournemouth and that early table does not look good, but on this evidence there is not the slightest reason for despondency for Howe and his players other than in the pain of another defeat. They were excellent for long spells. New rule same old problems The offside rule has been tweaked to supposedly clear up the grey area of when a player is interfering with play only for Bournemouth to find themselves the victim of a situation this was meant to avoid when Benteke scored Liverpool's winner. The new rule states "a player in an offside position shall be penalised if he clearly attempts to play a ball which is close to him when this action impacts on an opponent or makes an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball." A very offside Coutinho was clearly trying to play the ball when he stretched to Henderson's cross, just failing but then seeing the ball fall for Benteke to turn in. The goal was still given and Bournemouth were left nursing a heavy sense of injustice.

Man of the Match - Christian Benteke (Liverpool) Liverpool's new £32.5m striker made pretty much the perfect start, scoring the winner and only being denied a second by the woodwork in the closing moments Manager reaction Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, speaking to BBC Sport: "I haven't seen their disallowed goal or ours and the most important thing is ours stood. "We said it would be a tough game. Defensively we were very good. Our play was better after the goal, I am very pleased. "Christian Benteke is bedding into a new team but you could see his threat. I'm very pleased for the players, six points, two clean sheets and the team will grow." Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe, speaking to BBC Sport: "It is tough to take but we have to. We are learning tough lessons, the margins for success are small. It will be character building. "I didn't say a lot to the officials. They have a hard job but I will speak to then privately. I want feedback on the decisions. "We had a few chances but the big positive is overall our performance. We know if we perform like that the results and goals will come.

The players are winners and this is an experience we don't want to get used to." The stats you need to know Liverpool remain unbeaten in all competitions against Bournemouth (W5 D2). Since his Liverpool debut in the Premier League, only Steven Gerrard (25) has more Premier League assists for Liverpool than Jordan Henderson (22). Henderson has 10 assists in the Premier League since the start of last season; more than any other English player. Christian Benteke's goal in this game was his 50th in English club football (all comps). Benteke has now scored 12 goals in his last 13 Premier League appearances. This is the sixth time in Premier League history that Liverpool have won their opening two games of the season. Liverpool have now won four successive Premier League games played on a Monday. Simon Mignolet has kept more clean sheets than any other Premier League goalkeeper in 2015. Up next It's been a good start for Liverpool - results wise - but they face their first big test of the season next Monday when they travel to Arsenal, where they lost 4-1 in April.

For Bournemouth it's a trip to the capital on Saturday where they will seek their first points of the season at West Ham United. Social media reaction 12 Gomez Booked at 75mins 7 Milner 14 Henderson Substituted for Can at 52'minutes 10 Coutinho Substituted for Moreno at 81'minutes 20 Lallana 33 Ibe Substituted for Firmino at 70'minutes 9 C Benteke 3 Cook Booked at 90mins 11 Daniels 30 Ritchie Booked at 76mins 32 O'Kane Booked at 34minsSubstituted for Gosling at 87'minutes 6 Surman 10 Gradel Substituted for Smith at 81'minutes 13 C Wilson 17 King Substituted for Tomlin at 61'minutesBooked at 77mins Substitutes

Question: Which football league club are known as the Cherries?
Answer: Bournemouth