From Blyth to the Basque Country: Cherries break new ground

[Getty Images] Sporting records are like piecrust: made to be broken. Aren't they? As Bournemouth rose through the divisions, former manager Eddie Howe would make sure his squad were aware of when new landmarks were being set. Before the Bolton game in 2015 which secured promotion to the Premier League, he showed his players a video of the club's history to that point, inspiring them to take that final step to the big time. A decade later, Andoni Iraola would take great pride as his Cherries side eclipsed Howe's records of their highest top-flight points tallies and league placings, with a sixth-placed finish last term unlocking the door to Europe. When Marco Rose's Cherries kick off against Real Sociedad in the Europa League in the Basque Country on Thursday evening, a record will be broken, San Sebastian overtaking Blyth as the furthest Bournemouth have ever travelled for a competitive match. "Blyth Spartans" are two words which still strike terror into long-standing Cherries supporters, evoking memories of 16 December 2008, one of the darkest nights in the club's history. In an FA Cup replay broadcast live to the nation on Setanta Sports, the Dorset side lost captain Shaun Cooper to injury after nine minutes, lost substitute Brett Pitman to a straight red card five minutes after he came on, and lost the game to a late goal by Blyth substitute Ged Dalton, a student who did not even train full-time with the Conference North giant-killers. Blyth is north of Newcastle and further from Bournemouth than Carlisle, and it was a long journey back for the away supporters whose side at the time was teetering on the brink of relegation to non-league football, and/or potential financial oblivion. Thankfully for those who kept the faith, AFC Bournemouth are now largely unrecognisable as a club from those days - and rather than planning trips to Blyth or Carlisle, their Europa away games will take them to Real Sociedad, Sparta Prague, Celta Vigo and Lillestrom. Fans have had the novelty of scrambling to book overseas travel and accommodation, with the 74th San Sebastian International Film Festival (which begins on Friday) exacerbating the battle to find hotel rooms. But even the rain forecast for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will surely not dampen the spirits of those travelling Cherries. To paraphrase Peter Pan: to play in Europe, will be an awfully big adventure. Explore Bournemouth content on BBC Sounds