SO now the adventure really begins.

The fortunes of AFC Bournemouth may not grip more than a few thousand people each week in normal times, but when any club reaches the end of season play-off tussle for promotion, they are anything but normal.

The home town or city is usually gripped by football fever and Bournemouth is unlikely to be any different.

After Saturday’s result, we know who AFCB must defeat to reach the final at Old Trafford and their battle for a place in the Championship.

After some turbulent times and indeed, plenty of upheaval this season too, getting this far is already a massive achievement for an outfit of AFCB’s limited resources.

All credit to the present coaching staff (and Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall), to the players, the directors who have brought a large degree of stability and sanity to the club and to all the staff there.

The most important result on Saturday was not the 2-1 reverse to Rochdale, but the announcement that local motor group Seward is to sponsor the stadium for the next three years.

This is another major step forward for a small club in the financial jungle that is British football.

It will also be an important part of cementing AFC Bournemouth as a true community club. Good luck in the coming weeks to all at the soon-to-be Seward Stadium.

It’s been a rollercoaster two years, but there may yet be one or two more twists and turns.