Historical Crests AFC Bournemouth

Name: ​ ​ ​AFC Bournemouth

Nickname(s): ​ ​​ ​The Cherries

Founded: ​ ​1899

Stadium: ​ ​ Dean Court

Capacity: ​ ​11,329

AFC  Bournemouth Crest History

Founded in 1899 as Boscombe Football Club and later renamed Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in 1923, the club’s earliest badges drew heavily on traditional civic and heraldic influences. These early crests incorporated shield designs inspired by local coats of arms and reflected the conventions of English football clubs in the first half of the twentieth century. During the 1960s, Bournemouth experimented with simpler identity marks and lettering-based emblems, moving away from the more formal heraldic style.

A major transformation came in 1972, shortly after the club adopted the name AFC Bournemouth. The new crest introduced the design that would become synonymous with the club: a black shield featuring red-and-black stripes, a football, and the silhouette of a player heading the ball. The stripes reflected Bournemouth’s adoption of red-and-black colours, inspired by the famous kits of AC Milan. The player depicted was widely recognised as former striker Dickie Dowsett, one of the club’s greatest goalscorers and later a club official. This made Bournemouth one of the few football clubs in the world to feature an identifiable former player on its crest.

In 1981, the club briefly abandoned the Dowsett design and introduced a new badge centred on cherries intertwined with a football. The emblem referenced Bournemouth’s long-standing nickname, “The Cherries,” which had become a defining part of the club’s identity. Although distinctive, the design proved short-lived and remained in use for only a couple of seasons.

By 1983, AFC Bournemouth had returned to the familiar silhouette of Dowsett heading a football. Over the following three decades, the crest underwent a series of refinements, including adjustments to the shield shape, typography, colours and proportions. 

A notable redesign in 1994 modernised the badge while retaining its core elements, ensuring continuity with the club’s established visual identity.

In 2013, Bournemouth unveiled a cleaner and more contemporary version of the crest as the club entered one of the most successful periods in its history. The redesign simplified the shield, sharpened the silhouette, modernised the typography and strengthened the contrast between black, white and red.

 Despite these updates, the club deliberately preserved the image of Dowsett heading the ball, maintaining a direct link to its heritage.

Unlike many football crests that are built around animals, castles or civic symbols, AFC Bournemouth’s badge is defined by the image of a player in action. The silhouette of Dickie Dowsett remains the crest’s central feature and a unique tribute to one of the club’s most influential figures. Alongside the red-and-black stripes and the football, it symbolizes both Bournemouth’s modern identity and its connection to the players and traditions that shaped the club’s history.

AFC Bournemouth Club History: 

AFC Bournemouth was founded in 1899 as Boscombe Football Club following the dissolution of Boscombe St. John’s Institute FC. The club initially competed in local and regional competitions before establishing itself within the Southern League. In 1910, Boscombe moved to Dean Court, a ground named after local benefactor J. E. Cooper-Dean, which has remained the club’s home ever since.

In 1923, the club adopted the name Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic and was elected to the Football League Third Division South, becoming a member of the Football League for the first time. For much of the twentieth century, Bournemouth remained a lower-division club, although they earned national attention through memorable FA Cup runs, most notably reaching the quarter-finals in 1957.

A significant change came in 1972 when the club adopted its current name, AFC Bournemouth. During this period, the club also embraced its now-famous red-and-black striped kit, inspired by the colours of AC Milan, and introduced the distinctive crest featuring former striker Dickie Dowsett.

One of the most celebrated moments in Bournemouth’s history occurred in 1984, when manager Harry Redknapp guided the club to a famous 2–0 FA Cup victory over reigning holders Manchester United. Three years later, Bournemouth won the Third Division title in 1986–87, securing promotion to the second tier of English football for the first time.

The club experienced significant financial difficulties in the early 2000s and entered administration in 2008, receiving a 17-point deduction that threatened its Football League status. However, under the leadership of manager Eddie Howe, Bournemouth completed a remarkable recovery, avoiding relegation and beginning an extraordinary rise through the divisions.

Between 2010 and 2015, Bournemouth achieved three promotions in six seasons, progressing from League Two to the Premier League. The crowning achievement came in 2014–15 when the club won the Championship title and secured promotion to the top flight of English football for the first time in its history.

In 2015, AFC Bournemouth made their Premier League debut, completing one of the most remarkable success stories in English football. Despite having one of the smallest stadiums in the division, the club established itself among the elite and became known for its attractive attacking style of play.

The club's fiercest rivalry is with Southampton F.C., a fixture known as the South Coast Derby. Other notable rivalries exist with Portsmouth F.C. and Brighton & Hove Albion F.C., reflecting Bournemouth's position among the leading clubs along England’s south coast.

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