AFC BOURNEMOUTH are set to learn the order they will face their Premier League opponents during the 2024/25 season later this morning (9am).
There are certain dates fans always look out for, including where Cherries will be playing their festive fixtures, who they will face on the final day of the season, and of course, the first opponents of the campaign.
Ahead of finding out Cherries’ Premier League fixtures, we have taken a look at some fixtures that occurred on key dates in years gone by.
Opening day
Cherries 0 - 1 Aston Villa - 2015/16
Of course, Cherries’ Premier League debut came on the opening day of the season, with Aston Villa in town on Saturday, August 8 2015.
A confident first half showing saw Bournemouth control possession, Marc Pugh’s effort on the stroke of half time the closest the hosts came.
Villa were improved after the break, finding the game’s only goal on 72 minutes through debutant Rudy Gestede.
Cherries 2 - 0 Cardiff City - 2018/19
Cherries’ opening day record in the Premier League was not the best, it had to be said, with it taking four attempts for Bournemouth to record their first win in a top-flight curtain raiser.
Newly promoted Cardiff City came to town to kick-off the 2018/19 season, and it took just 24 minutes for Cherries to remind the Welsh side how tough the Premier League can be.
Callum Wilson was brought down inside the box in the first half, the striker dusting himself down to take the resultant penalty.
However, Wilson fluffed his lines, with Neil Etheridge guessing right to push his spot-kick away.
There would be redemption for Wilson, who killed the game off in second-half stoppage time to secure Cherries’ first-ever opening day win in the Premier League.
The game was also memorable as it marked David Brooks’ debut after signing from Sheffield United.
Cherries 2 - 0 Aston Villa - 2022/23
After losing three in a row, Cherries’ opening day fortunes are far improved, with the side currently unbeaten in their first games of the last four seasons.
After winning promotion back to the Premier League in 2022, Cherries were once again treated to a home clash with Aston Villa.
This time it was a very different story, as Scott Parker’s side ran out 2-0 winners over the Villans.
Jefferson Lerma kicked off the scoring in the first-half before Premier League debutant Kieffer Moore made it two.
That proved to be Parker’s only Premier League win as Cherries boss, with the manager sacked later that month.
Cherries 1 - 1 West Ham - 2023/24
Cherries’ most recent opening day fixture also provided another first.
West Ham were the visitors to Vitality Stadium to start the 2023/24 season, with Andoni Iraola taking charge of AFC Bournemouth for the first time in a competitive game.
A fine Jarrod Bowen strike gave the away side the lead, with Cherries eventually equalising through Dominic Solanke with eight minutes remaining.
There had been optimism about Iraola’s upcoming reign at Cherries, with their display serving as further evidence for excitement.
Boxing day
Cherries 3 - 3 West Ham - 2017/18
The Premier League always seems to kick into overdrive during the festive period, with games crammed into the schedule.
Despite this, the traditional Boxing Day fixture is not always guaranteed, but Cherries have managed to squeeze in some exciting games during their Premier League stints.
An encounter with West Ham at Dean Court on Boxing Day 2017 produced six goals in a topsy-turvy thriller.
The away side took an early lead through defender James Collins, with Dan Gosling restoring parity just before the half-hour mark.
Nathan Ake put Cherries into the lead in the second period, before a late double from Marko Arnautovic turned the game on its head.
Just as it looked like Cherries had conspired to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, Wilson popped up in stoppage time to at least ensure they got a point for their efforts.
Tottenham 5 - 0 Cherries - 2018/19
Of course, games can be memorable for the wrong reasons.
It is not every day Wembley stages a game on Boxing Day, but the famous arch only served as a background to the drubbing dished out by Tottenham Hotspur.
It was 3-0 before the break at Spurs’ temporary home, with Tottenham adding a further two in the second half to inflict a 5-0 defeat on Cherries in 2018.
To make matters worse, Cherries were back in action just four days later, again defeated heavily on their travels as they lost 4-1 at Old Trafford.
Cherries 3 - 0 Fulham - 2023/24
After five Boxing Day clashes without a victory, Cherries finally marked St. Stephen’s Day with a victory last year.
The win came over Fulham at Dean Court in convincing fashion, Justin Kluivert opening scores just before the break.
Dominic Solanke converted the first penalty awarded to Cherries in 65 games shortly after the hour-mark, before a beautiful curler from Luis Sinisterra made sure of the result in stoppage time.
The game was also memorable for the pantomime antics of Bernd Leno, who provoked the ire of the home crowd for pushing a ball boy.
Final day
Manchester United 3 - 1 Cherries - 2015/16
Whilst fixtures at Christmas are spread out to maximise opportunities for games to be televised, the final day of the season sees all 20 teams play concurrently.
That is what makes the end to Cherries’ first Premier League season so memorable, as a bomb scare at Old Trafford saw their final day clash with Manchester United postponed.
It turned out that a device discovered in a toilet was a training prop carelessly forgotten about, but no chances were taken.
After all the other Premier League teams ended their campaigns on the Sunday, Cherries returned to Manchester on Tuesday, May 17 2016 to cap off their top-flight debut.
They went on to lose 3-1 at Old Trafford, with a Chris Smalling own goal scant consolation for Cherries fans that made the trip twice.
Crystal Palace 5 - 3 Cherries - 2018/19
This was a goalfest at Selhurst Park, with both sides playing with the freedom afforded by avoiding relegation quite comfortably.
Crystal Palace found themselves 3-0 up after 37 minutes, with goals from Jefferson Lerma and Jordan Ibe either side of half time bringing Cherries back into the contest.
The hosts re-established their two-goal lead on 65 minutes, but again Cherries reduced it thanks to a Josh King goal.
But any chance of a comeback was ended by Andros Townsend with 10 minutes remaining, the winger grabbing the game’s eighth goal.
Everton 1 - 3 Cherries - 2019/20
It would be remiss to mention final games of the season and avoid discussing matchday 38 of the 2019/20 season.
Cherries headed to Goodison Park still with a shout of survival, whilst knowing that it was out of their hands.
They held up their end of the bargain, winning 3-1 against Everton thanks to a penalty from King, Solanke’s header, and a Junior Stanislas strike.
Bournemouth relied on defeats for Watford and Aston Villa in order to stay up – the Hornets lost to Arsenal, but Villa held out for a 1-1 draw with West Ham United.
Played at during the COVID pandemic, a stadium devoid of fans reflected the emptiness Cherries felt at relegation.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here