HARRY Arter believes Richard Hughes’s valuable input – both on and off the pitch – will help give Cherries the confidence to make a successful Championship transition.

The central midfield duo played important roles as Eddie Howe’s men stormed League One to earn a place in the second flight of English football next season.

Playmaker Arter, who netted eight goals in 37 league appearances, emerged as an influential performer following Howe’s return to the Dorset club in October.

Hughes, who came out of retirement to rejoin Cherries last summer, was used 21 times in the third tier during his comeback campaign.

The ex-Portsmouth ace has experience of higher levels having previously plied his trade in the Premier League, UEFA Cup and on the international stage.

And Arter, 23, expects that background and knowledge to prove useful when Cherries make the step up.

The Londoner told the Daily Echo: “Hughesie is the sort of man that will only say what he means.

“He has played at the top level and, maybe, some of the players in the Premier League have the experience over our lads. But, ability-wise, he has commented a few times on certain individuals being as good, technically, as some of the players he has played with at the top level.

“He is not the sort of man to say things just for the sake of it, so for someone like Hughesie to comment on some of the players gives you confidence.

“With that, what he brings to the team and his sense of experience and the way he plays, I can only see it being a positive for everyone to have Hughesie around the place.”

Although Cherries are just a couple of weeks into the close-season break, Arter says he is already desperate to get back in training to prepare for next term.

He added: “Especially with us having gone up, it is an incentive to want to get back.

“I saw on Monday that we are going to Switzerland in pre-season. To get out of the country and get away as a group to work on next season is exciting.

“I am counting down the days to get back and I am looking forward to the season.”

Meanwhile, both Arter and manager Howe are in the running for awards.

Howe has been nominated for the League One manager of the month gong for April, alongside Brian Flynn and Gary Johnson.

Arter is in with a chance of collecting the player award. He is up against Oldham’s Matt Smith and Leyton Orient’s Romain Vincelot.

The winners will be announced on Friday.