CHAIRMAN Jeff Mostyn insisted Cherries owed a huge debt of gratitude to owner Maxim Demin for his “magnificent commitment” to the club since he came on board.

Mostyn was speaking after Cherries had secured their place in the Premier League with two games to spare of a memorable and historic first campaign in the top flight.

Demin acquired 50 per cent of the club after purchasing the shares of Mostyn and Steve Sly in November 2011 before gaining full control when he bought out Eddie and Brenda Mitchell in September 2013.

The Russian businessman, who prefers to keep a low profile, was instrumental in bringing back Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall in October 2012 and has bankrolled the club’s rise from the depths of League One to the Premier League.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Echo, Mostyn was asked whether he could have predicted Cherries would one day hold their own in the Premier League after he had taken ownership in 2007.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would be possible,” said Mostyn. “Not even the most optimistic person on earth would have thought that and I like to think I am close to being that person. You would have had to have been a fantasist.

“Dreams sometimes come true but fantasies very seldom do and this, to me, was a fantasy. But it has been possible due to a lot of hard work, incredible dedication from the team and management and the magnificent commitment from our owner.

“Just because Maxim doesn’t seek the limelight doesn’t mean to say he is not committed. He runs the business and is very much hands-on.

“We have a very tight inner sanctum – Neil Blake, myself, Eddie and Jason to name but four – and that is what has helped us prevail. Both on and off the pitch, we are as one.

“I keep repeating our strapline – together, anything is possible. Most straplines are commercially-driven, ours is from the heart.

“We have a dressing room downstairs and one upstairs and one common heartbeat that keeps this football club totally focused. It stems from the leadership from the very top from our owner. His financial commitment has been immense. Nobody has ever lost faith and the dream has come true and I am delighted for everybody associated with the football club.”

Mostyn, who was asked to take on the chairmanship by Demin and manager Howe in 2013, added: “I have said all along that staying in this division probably surpasses even the incredible achievement of winning the Championship last year.

“Had it not been for Leicester’s incredible success towards the end of last season, all three promoted sides would have been relegated and I think that puts into context just what an amazing achievement ours is.

“I remember being interviewed when the fixtures came out and said if we hadn’t got the points by the end of March, I was going to have the Samaritans on speed dial!

“It has been a pretty worrying past few weeks but it is over the season that counts and amassing that number of points has certainly been an incredible achievement from this group of players.

“Part of it has been in the face of adversity with the injuries we have had and I am proud nobody has ever mentioned that. Eddie has only spoken about what we have had not what we haven’t had. But, on reflection, it is an even greater achievement to have done it without those four lads.”