VERSATILE Ryan Fraser confessed it had been a season of what ifs after spending the past two months playing out of position.

The flying Scotsman netted his fifth Premier League goal of the campaign to earn Cherries a 1-0 win over Swansea on Saturday.

Fraser has helped cover for a shortage of defensive options by filling in at wing-back following injury to Adam Smith.

The 24-year-old's winner against Swans made it his most productive in terms of league goals since moving to the club five years ago.

And while he felt his tally could have been higher had he played in his favoured role on the wing, Fraser said he was happy to deputise for the sake of the team.

He told the Daily Echo: "It is hard to take sometimes when you see people in your position scoring goals when you are at right-back, but I did it for the team.

"If I had played in my position, I might have had 12 or 13 goals, you never know.

"It has been a long season. I started poorly and didn't really play. I came on in December and did very well.

"I was playing in my position and scored a few goals.

"I went to right-back and right wing-back and everyone knows that is not my position. You have to do it for the team. I thought it was going to be a couple of games and it has turned out to be pretty much the past two months."

During his spell on the right-hand side of defence, Fraser has been tested by the physical attributes of the likes of Peter Crouch and Troy Deeney.

Switched to the wing in the second half against the Swans, the Scotland international showed his explosive strengths.

Fraser added: "When I went on the wing towards the end and had that run, it showed what I can do when I play in that position.

"But I'm not complaining. If I'm on the pitch playing, I just go out and enjoy it whatever happens."

Fraser finished third in the voting for the Daily Echo-Micky Cave supporters' player of the year and his efforts have delighted boss Eddie Howe.

He said: "Ryan maybe got off to a slower start than we had hoped but I think he has shown his quality.

"As the season has gone on, we have seen a little glimpse into the future and I am so excited by what he could possibly be and what he could grow into.

"I still feel we haven’t seen the best of his ability on a consistent basis but that’s not a criticism of him, it’s a compliment because I know how good he can be.

"The key thing with Ryan is he has been versatile for us this season. He has been very good to play in different positions at a time when we have needed him, knowing that he prefers to play slightly higher up the pitch so I can’t compliment him enough on that."