RESOLUTE Chris Mepham admitted nothing could faze him after he overcame rejection in his youth career to reach the Premier League.

Mepham joined Cherries this week from Brentford, where he had been handed a footballing lifeline.

The centre-back was invited into the Bees’ academy aged 16 after he was released by Chelsea in 2012 and failed trials at Watford and Queens Park Rangers.

The Wales international said the rejections could help him to forge a successful top-flight career.

Mepham told the Daily Echo: “There are different setbacks you will have in your career, injuries and not being in the team.

“When you have gone to clubs and been told by a few teams you are not good enough and do not have what it takes then you feel at rock bottom.

“Any setbacks I get from now on do not compare to back then. It has helped going forward.

“The game has a lot of setbacks so it is important you are able to come through them.”

The Hammersmith-born centre-back confessed, initially, he did not want to take up the offer from Brentford after impressing for North Greenford reserves.

“I remember going on trial at QPR and Watford, both times I went in the meeting and they said ‘sorry but we do not think you are good enough to make it at this level’,” said Mepham.

“QPR was hard to take because they said when they look to sign a player they try to find one aspect of someone’s game that they are very good at. With me they could not really find one.

“You come away from that and it takes a massive chunk out of you.

“When I was playing at North Greenford reserves there was a scout that wanted me to train with Brentford’s under-16s. I went home and my parents were buzzing but I was not excited at all because in my head I was not going to go to be told the same thing, ‘sorry you are not good enough’.

“Mentally I was not in a position where I felt ready to go to crack it. Luckily my mum persuaded me.

“There has been real hard times in my career but those setbacks have put me in a good stead going forward.”

After two-and-a-half years in Brentford’s academy, Mepham made his debut for the first-team in the FA Cup. He established his position in the starting XI last season and made 22 Championship appearances this campaign.

He added: “I have always kept the attitude and desire to learn. I think it got me to where I am now.

“David Brooks said Eddie Howe is very keen on developing young players and when I met the manager he said ‘if I am not developing you I take it personally’.

“You look at the players here and who have been signed, like Dominic Solanke, it is definitely the right club for me.”