CHERRIES’ new signing Ian Harte revealed an hour in the company of boss Eddie Howe persuaded him to join the Dean Court revolution.

Harte, who today signed a one-year deal with Cherries, had been pondering offers from several Championship clubs, with Middlesbrough believed to have been among them.

The 35-year-old defender said: “I saw the manager for the first time on Saturday and our chat pretty much convinced me this was the right move for me. He is a good, young manager and, like me, he is hungry. He wants this club to push on and is very ambitious.

“He experienced the Championship at Burnley so knows what to expect. I am sure he will have us 100 per cent focused going into every game. It was a great achievement for the club to get promotion and I am looking forward to the challenge. The club is going places and I just wanted to be a part of it.

“There were a few clubs (interested) but, listening to what the manager wanted to do and where he wanted to go, I thought it would be a great opportunity and pretty much made up my mind there and then.”

Harte has been named in the PFA team of the season four times – with Leeds in the Premier League in 2000, with Carlisle in League One in 2010 and with Reading in the Championship in 2011 and 2012.

He added: “People say nowadays you are finished when you are over 30. But if you look after yourself, you will be fine. Although supporters may have a different view, your fellow professionals vote for those teams and they were kind enough to pick me.

“My ambition this season is to try to push to get in it again. I need to try to get in the starting line-up first and Charlie (Daniels) did amazingly well last season. I think it is always good to have competition for places and, whether I’m starting or on the bench, you always need to be a team player.”