From -17 points to dream European start for Bournemouth
From -17 points to dream European start for Bournemouth. Bournemouth started a League Two season on -17 points in 2008, now they have made a dream start in European competition.
What happened
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Adam Smith captained Bournemouth on their European bow after making his debut for the club in League OneBySam DruryBBC Sport journalistPublished18 September 2026, 00:30 BST'From -17 to Europe', read a flag in the away end at the Anoeta Stadium. As Bournemouth embarked on the first European campaign in the club's 127-year history, it served as a reminder of just how far they have come. Bournemouth have nothing to compare it to but this was a proper European away performance.
"Bournemouth hold on to win at Sociedad on European bowCherries fans hail historic day in San SebastianPublished23 hours agoSpecial moment for captain SmithBournemouth's incredible rise can be traced back to the appointment of Eddie Howe in January 2009. "It's a brilliant win in our first European game. It's brilliant for the club and the 2,000 fans from Bournemouth," manager Marco Rose told TNT Sports. Thoughts of a £100m-rated midfielder picking out a Brazil winger to head Bournemouth to victory in Europe was the stuff of fantasy as the Dorset club battled for survival.
The wider picture
But that now is Bournemouth's reality with Alex Scott swaggering around San Sebastian, showing why there is such a clamour for his signature among top Premier League clubs, and Rayan providing another example of why the Cherries will demand every penny of a reported £130m release clause to let him go. Bournemouth are not known for their defensive resilience and, as Sociedad ramped up the pressure as the game wore on, thoughts might have turned to leads surrendered in each of their first four Premier League games.
The former boss guided the Cherries to safety, finishing nine points clear of the relegation zone despite that 17-point deduction. A mere six and a half years later, Howe – back for his second spell as manager – had taken a transformed Bournemouth to the Premier League. Adam Smith joined Bournemouth on loan during the 2010-11 campaign, returned on a permanent deal in 2014 and has been at the club ever since, with approaching 400 league appearances to his name.
"Smith also made history of his own, becoming, at 35 years and 141 days, the oldest English outfielder to make their debut in major European competition since Ipswich's Reginald Pickett in 1962. The club captain will appreciate more than most what a special night this was for Bournemouth. That pattern is unlikely to stop anytime soon but, while there is the prospect of more nights like this one, Bournemouth supporters won't be complaining.
What has been reported
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But a 2-1 victory at Real Sociedad in their Europa League opener shows they are not ready to stop there. It is now 11 years since the Cherries were first promoted to the Premier League, meaning there is now a generation of supporters who will view top-flight football as the norm. From that perspective then, qualifying and playing in Europe might simply appear the next logical step for a well-run and ambitious club.
What happens next
Yet for the vast majority of fans celebrating a famous victory on Thursday, the whole thing still seems surreal. A 10-point deduction for entering administration resulted in their relegation to League Two. To even stay in the Football League for the 2008-09 season, they had to accept a 17-point deduction and agree not to appeal against the decision after it was ruled that, as they had been unable to agree a Company Voluntary Arrangement, they had not met their terms for exiting administration.
Up against a Real Sociedad side led by a World Cup-winning forward in Mikel Oyarzabal and who beat Atletico Madrid to win the Copa del Rey last season, they were dominant for 45 minutes. They suffocated Sociedad with their relentlessness off the ball, winning the ball back high up the pitch time and again and showing the quality on the ball to create chances – even when the defence was set. But there is an edge to the Basque side and, poor as they had been, that they came out fighting after the break was no surprise.
The adrenaline-fueled exuberance of Rose's side in the first half appeared to catch up with them in the second, but their desire to compete never wavered.
The report has been compiled by The Daily Waves using information reported across bbc.co.uk, theverge.com. Details are presented according to the information available at the time of publication and may change as authorities, organisers or other relevant parties provide updates.