EDDIE Howe revealed how his late mother continued to inspire his work in the Premier League and admitted: “I think about her before every game.”

Speaking on the five-year anniversary of Anne’s passing, the Cherries boss explained his desire for success had grown even stronger in the wake of the tragedy.

Anne was a huge influence on Howe’s career and travelled the length and breadth of the country to watch him in action.

When she passed away in 2012 while Howe was manager of Burnley, a huge void was left in his life.

And the Vitality Stadium boss says that as time has gone on, he has felt an increased desire to achieve in his mum’s memory.

Responding to questions from the Daily Echo, Howe said: “I think I feel it more strongly. As you go on in life and become more experienced, you realise you are working for yourself and your family but you are also working for the memory of people who have helped you into this position.

“I feel that really strongly. You don’t want to let them down, you don’t want to undo all the good work that certain people have done to help you in the past to try to achieve success.”

Asked if the personal drive which resulted from Anne’s passing would remain with him for the rest of his life, Howe said: “I’ve got no doubt that will always be there and I thought about it this morning, as soon as I got up. I wanted to go into work with renewed vigour to achieve.

“Ultimately, you are trying to win, you are trying to achieve success for the club and trying to do it in a way that befits the club and the people who run it.

“I’m very motivated to do well for a number of reasons. I think about her before every game. It’s a real motivation for me to do the best I can.”

Seven months after the tragedy, Howe left Burnley and returned to Cherries for his second spell in charge, making no secret of the fact Anne’s death had been partly behind his decision.

He immediately led the Dorset club into the Championship and then, after two seasons in the second tier, the uncharted territory of the Premier League.

Howe, who was raised in Verwood, thinks his mum would be surprised at the path his career has taken in recent years.

He said: “I don’t think she’d believe it, I’ve got to say!

“Firstly, I don’t think she would have thought I would have come back (to Cherries). And then in terms of taking Bournemouth to the Premier League, I don’t think many people thought that was truly possible.

“To keep Bournemouth established in the Premier League is now the next aim, so it’s a good story to tell.”

Cherries host West Ham tomorrow (3pm) and midfielder Andrew Surman will serve a one-match suspension, while Tyrone Mings begins a five-match ban.