How can you not get a bit emotional about the Cherries when they have had the best season in their history? It will be hard to say goodbye to the 2013-14 season although there is just one more game to play. The home fans though have said their goodbye's on the back of a splendid 4-1 demolition of Nottingham Forest. We've dreamed of days like that for many years but never really thought it could happen on a regular basis. Now Bournemouth has a team that is ranked in the country's top 30 sides and with another push it could well be seeing Premier League football within the not too distant future.
There is more than one man who has helped take the club up the football pyramid, but surely few will have had more fans praise him from the bottom of their hearts than Eddie Howe. Bournemouth fans can't get enough of him and the feeling appears to be mutual. While Eddie is at the helm anything really is possible.
We entered the season hoping for the best and Eddie and his team have delivered on so many levels that supporters have been left with sheer delight on their faces. The late run towards the play-offs only enhanced our enjoyment and it has demonstrated that the players can reach levels that they themselves might not have believed at the start of the season. It's not Little Bournemouth anymore - the club has arrived and mixing with the best teams in the Championship is something that we can all look forward to for another season now.
All Departments has released Kangaroo Court covering the last home match of the season. Visit All Departments website or scroll down Cherry Chimes side panel to listen to the podcast to hear how Nottingham Forest were defeated at Dean Court.
The end of season last home game always sees a pitch invasion of some kind and while the Bournemouth fans had not secured a promotion there was no less pleasure in how the team had performed over the last nine months. When the final whistle went against Nottingham Forest it was a mass dash for the players who soon found themselves mobbed by the hoards of supporters who just wanted to greet their heroes.
As the game reached its final stages there were plenty of shouts of: "If Rantie scores we're on the pitch". Sadly he did not get a shot on goal but Rantie did set up Kermorgant for the fourth and he may well have a bigger part to play next season.
It was not many minutes before the crowds were being asked to vacate the pitch so that the players could come out on to the pitch safely again. While some were a little slow to remove themselves behind the barriers the reluctant ones got there in the end. As the players came out there were still thousands of supporters who had stayed behind to have a bit of a party and to thank them for the season. Below is a shaky video of the crowd pitch invasion, but it gives you some idea of how many were there.
One by one the players came out to tremendous cheers and the back room staff were also given a huge welcome before Eddie Howe stepped on to the pitch. It might not have been as loud as last season, but everyone was keen to celebrate like it was a promotion.
We can now look forward to the last away game next weekend and already the players are keen to sign off with a win to take their overall points haul to 69 points.
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