The exact date of the club's foundation is not known, but there is proof that it was formed in the autumn of 1899 out of the remains of the older Boscombe St. John's Lads’ Institute F.C..
Bournemouth's run in the Third Division ended in 1970 with relegation, though the club were promoted back the following year.
For the first time in 1987 they won promotion to the Football League Second Division, although they would remain there for just three seasons, being relegated in 1990.
Bournemouth's ascent continued: after making the League One play-off semi-finals in 2010–11, and achieving a mid-table finish in 2011–12, Bournemouth won promotion to the Championship at the end of the 2012–13 season, putting them in the second tier of the league for only the second time in their history.
In the 2014–15 season, they won the Championship title, and earned promotion to the Premier League for the first time in their history.