MILESTONE man Andrew Surman is not ready to wind down – and says Jermain Defoe is his inspiration.

The experienced midfielder, who turned 32 on Monday, could on Saturday make his 200th appearance for Cherries when Everton visit Vitality Stadium (3pm).

Surman may have the honour of skippering the side on his landmark outing, depending on whether Simon Francis is selected.

The former England under-21 international feels he is not in the autumn of his career, insisting frontman Defoe’s involvement at 35 shows what can be achieved.

Surman told the Daily Echo: “I feel good, physically. A lot of people talk about your age when you get to 30 but I look after my body.

“JD has signed a three-year deal and is still as sharp as anything. He looks after himself and is a great role model, especially for players like me who are in their 30s and coming into what some people might say is the way out of my career.

“I don’t really see it like that, I still feel strong and am really enjoying my football.

“When JD first started as an 18-year-old, he was probably lightning. As you get older and maybe lose that yard, you have to adapt your game.

“You give him a chance in the box and he is still as sharp as ever. He is waiting for that one chance and usually takes it.

“Everyone adapts their game and I think it just comes with experience.

“Sometimes, when I was younger I used to run around a lot without really touching the ball. I still work hard now but the work is more effective than just running for the sake of it.”

Having joined on loan from Southampton, Surman made his Cherries debut away to MK Dons in League One in August 2005, a game in which now-boss Eddie Howe started.

And it was Surman who earned the ‘star man’ award from the Daily Echo after his last-minute effort salvaged a 2-2 draw at the now-defunct National Hockey Stadium.

“I scored and got clattered by the keeper,” said Surman. “I toe-poked it with my left foot and he smashed me but luckily it went in.

“I think I got booked for jumping in the crowd – I am a bit more reserved now!

“I’ve got great memories of when I first came here. It was a massive stepping stone in my career and I played a lot of games under Sean O’Driscoll.

“I played alongside the manager (Howe) but it is a different relationship now with a different respect.

“Bournemouth have always tried to play the right way and it suits my style of football.”

Surman impressed after returning to the south coast for a season-long loan from Norwich City in 2013-14.

And the Johannesburg-born star joined permanently for a fee in the region of £500,000 in September 2014, proving a pivotal figure as Cherries won the Championship and promotion to the top flight.

“I’m from down south and hadn’t really played much for Norwich the season before,” said Surman.

“I spoke to the manager (Howe) and felt wanted and valued by him and that was important to me at the time because I hadn’t really played.

“You start to lose a bit of confidence but he made me feel wanted and that’s why I signed.

“I’ve loved my time here. I don’t regret anything and will keep giving everything for the club.”

Asked about his highlights in a Cherries shirt, Surman said: “The promotion season was unbelievable all the way through, not knowing what we were going to achieve and then achieving something no one expected us to.

“In the first season in the Premier League we beat Chelsea away and Manchester United at home back to back.

“We stayed up and then in the seasons after, cemented ourselves in the division.

“To be in the Premier League for a fourth season is incredible and we just want to keep building and winning.”