A FROSTY winter run should not steal the limelight of Cherries season – and a prolific spring could deliver momentous achievements.

The reality of 11 defeats in the past 16 Premier League games, with an FA Cup third-round exit against Brighton and Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat at Chelsea, seemed bleak.

However, the truth is Cherries’ 33 points from 26 games is the most secured by the Dorset club at this stage of a Premier League season.

Previous efforts of 28, 26 and 31 points all delivered different assessments at the time.

On each occasion the ultimate aim of Premier League survival had been secured by May with a sense of progress and optimism.

Heading into the home straight of their fourth top-flight campaign, Cherries are nestled in the main pack with a range of potential outcomes and financial rewards on offer.

Howe’s charges still have work to do to secure another Premier League season but the realist would see a likely finish anywhere from seventh down to 15th.

Last season, Burnley’s seventh-placed finish raked in roughly £16million more in prize money than 15th-placed Brighton.

Cherries know the stakes at play well themselves with £10million on the line in their final game at Turf Moor in May 2018.

There could be areas of concern with the poor recent away record and an injury-ravaged squad but Howe’s commitment to the recruitment of young British talent delivered a glimpse of what the future could bring.

With 12 games to play, either side of an international break, Cherries can attack their past efforts with intent and ambition.

The 20 points racked up in the opening 10 matches of the campaign appear vital.

Repeating this haul between now and the final whistle at Selhurst Park in May, with two extra games to achieve the feat, would break the 50-point barrier for the first time in the Premier League.

It would also put Cherries very much in contention for a highest-ever finish.

The final 12 games of Cherries’ previous Premier League seasons presented a mixed card of results.

Their best effort came in 2016-17 with a 20-point haul in the final three months of the campaign, while in the debut top-flight season 14 points ensured the goal of avoiding relegation was achieved.

The 13 points accumulated last season, with six from the final two matches, dropped Cherries from ninth after 26 matches to 12th when players and fans jetted off for their summer holidays.

Reflecting ahead of his 400th permanent game in charge at Cherries earlier this month, Howe said: “When you first get into management, you don’t set out to achieve numbers, you set out to stay in the job week on week.

“It’s probably no different now, you are still trying to survive and seeing where you can go.”

It could be argued, to Howe’s credit, that his side never just survived on the pitch.

Cherries continued to progress, continued to climb and could reach new heights in the next few months.