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Legends gather for celebratory dinner

A host of Cherries legends will attend a gala dinner to mark 100 years of the club competing in league football.

The event, which is sponsored by Gutter & Moss Cleaning Specialists, takes place in the Cherry Orchard at Vitality Stadium on Thursday 30th November (6.45pm arrival for a 7pm start).

Tickets priced at £40 per person include a welcome drink and two-course dinner followed by player interviews and a quiz on the history of the Cherries.

Among the former players expected to attend are Tommy Elphick, Carl Fletcher and John Impey, who all captained the Cherries to promotion.

Appearance record holder Steve Fletcher, prolific goalscorer Brett Pitman, Premier League captain Simon Francis and 1987 promotion winners John ‘Willo’ Williams and Richard Cooke have also been invited along with David Stocks and Ian Cox.

Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic played their first game away to Swindon Town on Saturday 25th August 1923 with Jim Lister scoring the Cherries’ first goal in the Football League in a 3-1 defeat.

A book celebrating the 100-year anniversary, written by club historian Neil Vacher and sponsored by BH Calibration and Pellet Kings, is due to be published before Christmas.      

Titled ‘The Cherries – 100 Years of League Football’ it charts the remarkable success story of a club which came close to closure on more than one occasion and of supporters who refused to let it die.

The book provides a fascinating insight into the club’s history as well as a treasure trove of memories for Cherries supporters.

To purchase tickets for the dinner, please click here.