What a season it has been for Bournemouth.

If you had told Cherries fans back in October that they were going to break their Premier League record points total, you would have been laughed out of the room.

From second bottom after nine games, Andoni Iraola's side ended up challenging for European places up until a few weeks before the end of the campaign, in what was a frankly remarkable turnaround.

As for the Spaniard in the dugout, he seemed under real pressure during the infancy of his managerial reign, but he stuck to his ideas and style of play despite the criticism. 

It has been a very successful first season in charge all things considered, and Iraola has vindicated the controversial decision to part ways with Gary O'Neil last June.

It was ultimately a 12th-placed finish in the Premier League for Bournemouth; the second-best in their history after finishing 9th in the 2016/17 season.

In the FA Cup, it was a disappointing 5th-round exit at the hands of Leicester City in what was a missed opportunity to have a deep run in the competition.

The Carabao Cup was a similar story; a last-16 exit to the eventual winners Liverpool, falling to a 2-1 defeat at the Vitality Stadium.

After their shaky start, the turning point in Bournemouth's season came in the middle of November as a Dominic Solanke double secured a massive 2-0 win against Newcastle.

After that result, the Cherries went on to win five of their next six games, including a magnificent 3-0 away win at Manchester United.

  • Expectations vs Reality

At the beginning of the season, it was expected to be another tough campaign for the Cherries, with Premier League survival once again the main aim.

As it turned out, however, Bournemouth were safe from the drop in April with seven games still left of the season.

Not only have Andoni Iraola's men defied expectations in terms of their final position in the Premier League, they have shocked many with their progressive and confident style of play.

Under Gary O'Neil, the Cherries were very much a backs-against-the-wall style of team, looking to nick points wherever they could.

However, this season they have looked a completely different side, often cutting through teams with ease and playing attractive, open and expansive football.

  • Moment of the Season

Man United 0-3 Bournemouth

The moment of the season has to be Bournemouth's demolition of 20-time league champions Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The Cherries were superb on that Saturday afternoon in December and the Red Devils simply could not live with them.

Dominic Solanke set the tone for the afternoon with a superb close-range finish in the fifth minute before a header apiece for Phillip Billing and Marcos Senesi sealed a famous win for Iraola's side.

This was the game where it felt like Andoni Iraola had finally put his stamp on Bournemouth; the Cherries looking so dangerous every time they went forward and putting a dreadful United side to the sword.

  • Signing of the Season

Andoni Iraola

By far and away, Bournemouth's most important signing of the season came in the dugout.

Parting ways with O'Neil was a risky move to say the least after the stellar job the young manager had done of keeping the Cherries in the Premier League last season, and Bill Foley came in for a lot of criticism at the time for his seemingly rash decision making. 

However, the decision has been a complete success.

Andoni Iraola came in with a decent reputation after his time at Rayo Vallecano but was an unknown quantity in England.

It was a slow start for the Spaniard, but by the halfway point of the season it was clear he had managed to instil his ideas onto the players and they have not looked back since.

He has guided Bournemouth to their second-highest league finish ever and their highest Premier League points total of all time, with his Cherries side in the European hunt right up until a few weeks ago.

A nomination for Premier League Manager of the Season is exactly what Iraola deserves, and there is no doubt the future looks bright for Bournemouth after they tied him down to a new contract last week.

  • Player of the Season

Dominic Solanke

It could only be one man, really.

Honourable mentions must go to the likes of Ryan Christie and Illia Zabarnyi who both had terrific seasons in the backbone of an excellent Bournemouth team, but Solanke is the main man.

With 19 Premier League goals and 25 goal contributions in all competitions, Solanke has flourished into the top striker that he has threatened to be for a good few years.

He has looked so composed in front of goal all season, and his link-up play has been a joy to watch. 

A second-half hat-trick, including a last-minute winner, in the Cherries' 3-2 win away at Nottingham Forest was a real highlight for the centre forward, and he has come on leaps and bounds from last season.

Solanke finished the season joint fourth in the list of Premier League top scorers, level on 19 goals with Ollie Watkins and Phil Foden, who are both regulars in the England set-up.

Gareth Southgate has to be looking at Bournemouth's number nine as a potential option and a call-up can't be that far away.

  • Flop of the Season

Max Aarons

With it being such a good season for Bournemouth, it was difficult to really pick a flop of the season.

Max Aarons had such a good start to the campaign, but since picking up the first of two hamstring injuries back in November has really struggled for form.

The full-back has only featured in eight games since his first spell on the sidelines at the back end of last year, and a second hamstring injury picked up in January's defeat to Liverpool was exactly what he did not need.

The defender made the switch to the south coast from Norwich in the summer and impressed at times at the start of the campaign, but he will be hoping for an injury-free second season at the Cherries to really show what he can do.

  • Expectations for 2024/25

It would have been ludicrous to say it at the beginning of the season, but the expectation for the 2024/25 has to be to challenge for a Europa Conference League spot.

Bournemouth will need some investment in the summer to make this a realistic goal, and need to hold on to key players like Solanke, but there is no reason why the Cherries cannot improve by the start of next season.

With the way the club is moving, it seems like it will be only a matter of time before European nights come to the Vitality Stadium, with the new owners investing heavily in all aspects of the club.

It is an incredibly exciting time to be a Bournemouth fan.