FIVE years ago, on May 2, AFC Bournemouth were crowned champions of the Championship and promoted to the Premier League for the first time in the club’s history.
Sadly, Cherries’ five-year stint in England’s top division came to an end on Sunday, but the club’s success has “put Bournemouth on the map”.
Being in the Premier League meant earning millions of pounds in prize money and TV coverage, and it also meant worldwide exposure for the town.
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Although relegation is a setback, manager Eddie Howe provided the town with moments not conceivable ten years ago, and also helped the economic aspect of the town greatly.
And Bournemouth East MP, Tobias Ellwood, insisted Cherries “will be back”.
Mr Ellwood said: “Like so many in Bournemouth, I have been so delighted in seeing the club really give Bournemouth’s its international brand name.
“As defence minister and with the foreign office, I could be in the furthest part of the world at a meeting representing Great Britain, as soon as I say I represent Bournemouth, they associate it with the club.
“It is really difficult to underline how powerful the Premier League status has been.
“We have so much to thank the club for. The determination of Jeff Mostyn to get involved and move the club forward, it has not disappeared.
“I am absolutely sure, in the history of the club, this is a brief setback.”
Cherries’ Premier League journey ended with a 3-1 victory against Everton, however Aston Villa drawing with West Ham sealed the Dorset side’s fate.
Rewind 11 years however, and Cherries' victory over Grimsby Town ensured the club stayed in the Football League and avoided potential extinction.
Cherries won that game 2-1 and then embarked on the most remarkable story, climbing the leagues, but Mr Ellwood said the next mission is winning the Championship.
“Let’s get the entire town behind AFC Bournemouth and we can do this,” he added.
“Some of the most inspirational images are of the team winning the Championship, there is no better feeling than that.
“(The club) has given the town a sense of international identity, building on what the university are doing.
“It has been a fantastic journey and it is not over.
“We will come out of this stronger, it will be a very short time in the Championship.
“Everybody should be proud, no sense of disappointment. We will do it again.”
The Premier League is broadcast all around the world and is often dubbed the "best league in the world".
This helped local companies expand their brands globally through advertisements on the kits or in and around the ground.
International TV companies visited the area to feature Cherries' journey, for example, NBC in the USA produced a documentary on the club prior to the first season in the Premier League.
And Dorset Chamber of Commerce president, Liz Willingham, said the club's status gave the area a "much-needed" boost.
Ms Willingham said: "Obviously I was disappointed for Bournemouth after such a tough and disrupted season.
"It is evident that Eddie Howe and the whole team has worked incredibly hard and I can only imagine the frustration and disappointment they are feeling.
"However it’s important we celebrate the incredible impact the past five years has had, not just to the club but to Dorset as a whole.
"Overnight, we were put on a global map in such a positive way; I know for a fact that the area received a much needed boost in profile and awareness as a result of the club’s Premiership status.
"One example of the difference has been Bournemouth University’s ability to attract new students. A significant increase, particularly in international students, was purely attributed to Bournemouth's presence on screens all over the world.
"This isn’t the end of the line by any means, they have proven to bounce back before and I have every confidence they will do so again.
"They are a special feature of our community and they will come back fighting.
"I want to thank them personally for all they have done for this region over the last few years and wish them huge luck next season.”
In the 2018/19 Premier League season, Cherries were paid more than £108million from TV rights and finishing 14th in the league.
The financial benefits of the Championship are far less and exposure is also weaker.
However, BCP Council leader Vikki Slade said the town will continue to feel the benefit of Cherries’ time in the Premier League.
Cllr Slade said: “Nothing can take away the achievement and meteoric rise of the club that we witnessed five amazing seasons ago.
“The appeal of Premier League football to national and international audiences has helped to put our area firmly on the map for attracting inward investment and tourism.
“Our time in the Premier League has raised awareness of Bournemouth as a location, with those benefits likely to continue for a number of years, but fundamentally it is the dynamism and strength of our local economy that continues to encourage both national and international business interest in the area.”
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