- Published
It was a night soundtracked by the Impossible Dream.
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It → publish → Dream
And it was no coincidence that was the song chosen at the Vitality Stadium before Bournemouth's first European home game in the club's 127-year history.
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that → choose → history
As supporters lucky enough to bag a ticket for the historic occasion waved flags to the Andy Williams classic, a giant tifo rose from behind one of the stands, bearing the words 'Minus 17 to European dreams.
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tifo → bag → dreams
As recently as 2008, a night like this would have been unthinkable for Cherries supporters.
Just 18 years ago, Bournemouth were facing the prospect of no longer existing.
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Bournemouth → face → prospect
After entering administration, the club were relegated from League One after being handed a 10-point deduction.
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club → enter → deduction
To be allowed to compete in the 2008-09 season, Bournemouth, then managed by Eddie Howe, had to accept a further 17-point deduction in League Two.
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Bournemouth → allow → League
It left them at the bottom of the Football League and seemingly destined for life as a non-league side.
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It → leave → side
By the end of the season, the Cherries had not only completed one of the greatest escapes in English football history to secure a 21st-place finish and survival, but had also laid the foundations for a decade of success, which culminated in a first promotion to the Premier League in 2015.
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which → complete → 2015
Fast-forward to the present day and Bournemouth are making history for all the right reasons in the Europa League.
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Bournemouth → forward → League
Thursday's 3-0 win over Sturm Graz meant they became only the second English side to win their first two matches in a major European competition since Bolton achieved the feat in the Uefa Cup 21 years ago.
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Bolton → mean → Cup
"It's a moment that will live long in their memories," former defender Joel Ward told TNT Sports.
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Ward → live → Sports
"The club should relish this night.
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club → relish → night
The owner [Bill Foley] manifested this moment when he first came into the club.
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he → manifest → club
He set the standards for this club, he has invested a lot into it and he wanted to see this club in Europe.
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he → set → Europe
"He got his wish, and they have certainly started incredibly well so far."
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they → get → wish
Smith embodies Bournemouth's fairytale
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Smith → embody → fairytale
It was a night that always seemed destined to produce a fairytale storyline, such has been the nature of Bournemouth's rise since 2008.
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nature → destine → 2008
At Wednesday's pre-match press conference, defender Adam Smith - the club's longest-serving player after initially joining on loan from Tottenham in 2011 - admitted he would never have imagined captaining the Cherries in Europe.
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he → serve → Europe
The right-back earned his own piece of history by providing the assist for Bournemouth's first European goal on home soil, with Evanilson heading his cross home late in the first half.
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Evanilson → earn → half
"It's been a long time coming.
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It → come → ?
The fans were up for it, the players were up for it, so we are very happy," Smith told TNT Sports.
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Smith → tell → Sports
"We had a chat with each other and we got a reaction today.
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we → have → reaction
Since making his move from Tottenham permanent in 2014, Smith has made more than 430 appearances for the Cherries.
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Smith → make → Cherries
In that time, the 35-year-old has helped Bournemouth secure three promotions, two of which have taken them to the Premier League.
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two → help → League
When he was replaced by James Hill midway through the second half, the home supporters rose to their feet and chanted Smith's name as he departed the field.
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he → replace → field
"He's an example to everyone of what hard work looks like and the rewards that you get, even towards the latter stages of your career," added Ward.
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Ward → look → career
"He's extremely professional, and he fully deserves the success he's getting now.
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he → deserve → success
Nights like this are what you live for.
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you → live → what
To walk out captaining that side is emotional and makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck.
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hair → walk → neck
"
'If we stick together and play like this... then we are hard to play against'
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we → stick → this
It was no surprise to see Bournemouth supporters remain in their seats long after the final whistle as they attempted to soak up as much as they could of a landmark night on the south coast.
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they → see → coast
For Marco Rose and his players, though, the focus will quickly shift to Sunday's Premier League clash with Sunderland.
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focus → shift → Sunderland
Despite soaring to new heights in the Europa League during the opening weeks of the season, their Premier League campaign is yet to get going.
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campaign → soar → season
The Cherries sit 18th in the table and are one of only three teams, alongside Fulham and Tottenham, yet to win a match this season.
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Cherries → sit → match
"If we stick together and play like this and we have our fans, then we are hard to play against and it's hard to beat us," said Rose, who succeeded Andoni Iraola in June.
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who → stick → June
"That's what we should take into the next game."
Bournemouth's remarkable story will enter arguably its most glamorous chapter yet when AC Milan visit the Vitality Stadium next week.
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Milan → take → Stadium
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you → follow → Cherries
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