DEFENDER Steve Cook insisted Cherries knew they would secure Premier League football against Bolton – even before a ball had been kicked.

Cook, who has started every Championship match so far this season alongside defensive partner-in-crime Tommy Elphick, starred as Cherries belied the pressure of their need for victory by blitzing the Trotters 3-0 at Dean Court.

 

Amid the flurry of celebrations after the final whistle, Cook told the Daily Echo: “Without doubt it is the moment of my career so far and one we all have to savour.

“Things like this don’t happen too often and you can see what it means to everyone. It’s unbelievable.

“We missed a few chances at the start and their keeper made a couple of good saves. It could have gone either way and Artur (Boruc, Cherries keeper) had to pull off a really big stop.

“In the end we were comfortable, though, and overall I thought we were outstanding.

“It took courage, maturity and confidence to play the way we did. We knew we were going to go up and the biggest reason we saw it through was because we treated it like any other game.”