BAILY Cargill admitted last season’s first brush with the creative side of the media had been an eye opener – even if he did manage to laugh it off.

The 20-year-old defender, a product of the Cherries youth ranks, was the subject of a viral internet clip when he discarded a protective bandage from his head during December’s televised League Cup quarter-final tie with Liverpool.

A series of online media outlets claimed a wig had fallen from the defender’s head while playing with the moment it dropped watched more than two million times.

The tongue-in-cheek story was met with anger from certain quarters but Cargill insisted the unusual attention had acted as a useful reminder of the camera’s all-seeing eye.

Cargill told the Daily Echo: “A lot of people took it as a wig. I took that as banter and it didn’t really affect or bother me but it was all on a much wider scale than anything like that would normally have been.”

Asked whether he felt that kind of story was unfair on young players, Cargill continued: “I don’t think it matters.

“Whether I was 35 or 20, it wouldn’t have made much of a difference, if it had happened to say Slyvain (Distin) or Tommy (Elphick) it would have got the same media attention.

“I found it funny. I knew it wasn’t a wig so I saw the humorous side. In and around the dressing room, some of the lads said things but it was just banter and you just get on with it.”

Sensationalised stories apart, the Football League’s knockout competition was good for Cargill last season with the emerging talent playing the every minute of Cherries’ club-best run to the last eight.

And with the carrot of being able to prove his worth when begin their road to Wembley at League Two Hartlepool tonight (7.45pm), the rookie defender is keen to boost his bid for Premier League action.

Cargill added: “We all want to do well and get to those stages. Playing against West Brom and Liverpool was a great experience for me and something I enjoyed.

“I got a good amount of game time in pre-season, pretty much the same as everybody else, and that was nice.

“It can be tough for me because I only get those short periods of time to show the gaffer what I can do so I just have to make the most of training and if I get the chance to play at Hartlepool, I have to be ready.

“I have three great centre-halves ahead of me but if I keep working hard and always make sure I am ready then I think my time will come.

"Hopefully, that will be this season. That is what I am working towards.”