CHERRIES star Tommy Elphick is tipping promotion expert Marcos Painter to prove a valuable asset in the club’s push for League One glory.

Elphick backed his former Brighton colleague to add defensive and attacking qualities after he joined Cherries on loan until the end of the season.

The Seagulls defender, drafted in as cover for injured left-back Charlie Daniels, made his Cherries debut in the 2-0 defeat at Preston on Saturday.

Painter was substituted at half-time as title contenders Cherries suffered only their second third-flight loss in 22 games under Eddie Howe.

But Elphick believes the 26-year-old, who has won promotion from the third tier with both Swansea and Brighton, will show his class.

Elphick told the Daily Echo: “I have played a lot with Paints. He has got great experience for his age and has won two promotions with Brighton and Swansea. He has got a great pedigree.

“Coming into our side, it will suit us down to the ground that he has got that background.

“He wants the ball and wants to get forward as much as possible but his main game is that he is solid and there every week.

“Saturday was sort of a bit of a baptism of fire for him. There are plenty more games and he hasn’t played a lot of football this season so he is only going to get better with the more time that he has on the pitch.”

Painter started his career with Birmingham City, where he played in the Premier League, before stints with Swansea and Brighton.

Elphick added: “The one thing with Brighton, although we were such a great footballing side, our main emphasis as a back four was to keep clean sheets. First and foremost, he comes with that hunger and desire to keep clean sheets, which you can’t beat in a back four.

“But coming from Swansea and Brighton, he wants the ball at all opportunities and he is going to look to get forward.

“It is going to take him a little bit of time to get used to the way we play because we are a little bit different and more aggressive in our forward play.

“I feel we are a bit quicker in the way we go about our things and we press teams a lot higher and a lot quicker than teams like Brighton and Swansea did, although there are similarities in the foundations and what we are trying to do.

“It will take him a little bit of time to get used to that but, once he does, I am sure he will be a great signing for us,” added Elphick.