FIXTURES OUT

The final salt has been rubbed in to our wounds as the new fixtures for the 2002/03 season have been published.

AFC Bournemouth, now in the Third Division for the first time since 1982, open their campaign with the most difficult fixture going, away to newly promoted Boston United. They are bound to be full of confidence on the opening day, as new boys in the Football League, so are bound to be keen to impress. With the football press in attendance, not a good fixture to start with.




The first home match, seven days later on August 17th, sees the Cherries entertain Kidderminster Harriers, and three days later will entertain fellow relegated side Cambridge United.

At Christmas, AFC Bournemouth travel to Oxford United on Boxing Day, but do have home fixtures against Rochdale (Dec 28) and Swansea City (Jan 1).

The finale to the season will see AFC Bournemouth play Lincoln City as the last home match (Apr 26), but have the arduous trip to Carlisle United on the final day of the season (May 3). Hopefully this year there will be nothing riding on the game, with all promotion/relegation issues resolved.

Other key fixtures will see AFC Bournemouth re-engage old-rivals Bristol Rovers on Nov 11 (at DC) and Feb 15 (at the Memorial). One fixture the Exiles will be especially keen to see is that the trip to York City will take place on the weekend of March 15th.

For the full set of fixtures, please check out either of the following links: