THE Cherries' Premier League clash with Liverpool FC on Saturday has been designated as the 'BU Big Match.'

This initiative, to mark the football club's six-year educational partnership with Bournemouth University, will include a range of activities before and after the game.

BU Big Match activity this year will focus on the subject of resilience.

As a part of the pre-match activity to celebrate the partnership, AFC Bournemouth captain Simon Francis, and defender Tyrone Mings, visited BU’s Talbot Campus to give a talk on their careers and the resilience needed to perform at the highest level.

BU chief operating officer Jim Andrews, said: “We are very proud of our partnership with AFC Bournemouth and the BU Big Match will again be a chance to showcase the many benefits of two of Dorset’s leading organisations working together.

"This year’s BU Big Match will mark the first full year that we’ve supported all of the AFC Bournemouth girls teams, as well becoming a junior cherries partner, and we will be including the educational and research opportunities the partnership provides alongside support for the next generation of players and supporters."

Interviewed by former AFCB goalkeeper Jimmy Glass, the players talked about the support they receive from the club, and how they have navigated the highs and lows of their careers, from injury to club moves, and finally playing in the top tier of English football.

The BU Big Match will also be an opportunity for the university to highlight its work in wellbeing and mental health, with the film #lifeunfiltered being shown around the ground before kick-off.