How Milan inspired Cherries' red and black stripes

There will be black and red in every stand at Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium later when AC Milan meet the Cherries in the Europa League.

AFC Bournemouth's stripes bear more than a passing resemblance to those of the Italian club, and the similarity is no coincidence.

In 1970, club bosses were looking to inject a bit of magic back into their relegated side and a new kit was launched.

Club historian Neil Vacher said incoming manager John Bond and chairman Harold Walker believed the colours of 1969 European champions AC Milan would help foster a new mentality.

Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic, as they were once called, played for years in red and white before their transformation.

Vacher said: "It happened in 1970. We'd just been relegated for the first time in our history.

"We had a change of manager and a new chairman and they decided we could do with a new kit.

"They wanted to emulate AC Milan because they were winners."

England midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who has played for AC Milan since 2023, told the BBC: "I remember my first season at the San Siro. To put that red and black striped jersey on was fantastic.

"The fact that Bournemouth was inspired by Milan shows you how big the club is and the history of it, and how it's inspired other teams and people to watch football and love football."

Football historian and author Joey D'Urso said: "Bournemouth basically copied AC Milan and adopted the colours. It's quite common in English football.

"Leeds play in white because of Real Madrid, Crystal Palace play in red and blue because of FC Barcelona.

"AC Milan are a very glamorous football team, the second most successful in the history of the European Cup or Champions League after Real Madrid."

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent's Dorset Breakfast show, D'urso said the Serie A giants coming to Bournemouth was a full-circle moment.

He said: "Quite an interesting aspect of AC Milan is that it's not called Milano, as the city is called by Italians, it's called Milan, like in English, because football was brought to Italy by Englishmen.

"That was reflected back to the south coast of England when Bournemouth adopted the kit of red and black.

"Now they are playing them in the European competition, which is very exciting."