ARTUR Boruc hit the jackpot following the gamble of his career and then thanked Cherries for unexpectedly saving him from a season in the wilderness.

The Poland international arrived at Dean Court on loan from Southampton in September, a deal the club extended to the end of the campaign in January. 

Despite his success at Saints under previous boss Mauricio Pochettino, the 35-year-old former Celtic keeper found himself frozen out following the arrival of Ronald Koeman in the summer. 

In a candid interview after Cherries had lifted the Championship title with a 3-0 win at Charlton on Saturday, Boruc, a player with Champions League experience, revealed how his fresh challenge had lifted his malaise

Boruc told the Daily Echo: “This is special. My situation and career was different so to be involved in this championship with Bournemouth means a lot. 

“I was really down in my life a few months ago. I was sitting on my couch and, to be honest, I did not know what to do with myself. 

“Then, Bournemouth asked to bring me on board so my agent called me and said there was a chance to play. At the time, I was in the middle of nowhere because I wasn’t playing at Southampton and hadn’t really trained properly with the first team. 

“As soon as I arrived, there was something about how the team was working. The commitment to their football was something different and probably the one thing that got us to the top. 

“There was a gamble to this whole story and it could have turned out totally different. But here we are, champions so everything is good.

“The fans probably didn’t expect us to win the league either so every single supporter should be proud of the team."

“There were so many of them that it would be impossible to say thank you to everyone so that performance was probably the best way to do it.”

Cherries’ ascent to the top flight has ramped up speculation that Boruc, whose St Mary’s contract expires in the summer, will make his temporary switch permanent over the summer. 

Quizzed on his future, Boruc said: “I am enjoying my stay because I know the kind of people we have, how they work and the sort of players the club has,” he added. 

“But I don’t know what is going to happen in the future, we need to wait a couple of weeks and then everything will become clear.”

When asked whether he would be looking to tie Boruc to a long-term deal, manager Eddie Howe replied:

"We are reviewing all the players' futures at the moment and what happens with our loan players. 

"He has certainly had a very good season for us and I have been very impressed with him, on and off the pitch. He has been a key part of our success."