CHERRIES defender Jack Simpson revealed how “ultimate professional” Marc Pugh had aided his rise through the ranks at the club.

The 22-year-old said the stalwart winger, who is set to exit Cherries when his contract expires at the end of this month, had helped him lay the foundations to forge a Premier League career.

Pugh arrived at Dean Court from Hereford in the summer of 2010 – when Simpson was just 13 and progressing through Cherries’ youth ranks.

Fast forward nine years and the pair sat alongside each other in the first-team dressing room.

Simpson played 90 minutes in what proved to be Pugh’s final game for the Dorset club – an FA Cup third round defeat to Brighton in which he scored.

And the Cherries’ academy graduate insisted there had been nobody better to learn from than the 32-year-old.

Weymouth-raised Simpson told the Daily Echo: “Marc Pugh is the ultimate professional. I cannot speak highly enough of him.

“For me personally, he has been unbelievable.

“He introduced me to people within football you can trust, which is difficult. As a young player you are never really sure but having things like that to help you is brilliant.

“If I ever wanted to go and talk to someone, he is always someone I would talk to. I sat next to him in the changing room and it was just brilliant.”

The pair’s bond goes far beyond a playing capacity however, with both of them sharing a similar passion.

“Pughie is a coffee connoisseur, so whenever I need someone like that I always ask him to be fair,” added Simpson.

“I am a massive coffee fan. He has shown me quite a few places and I have gone and checked them out myself, or with him.

“Especially when we weren’t in the squad together, sometimes we would go and get a coffee somewhere nice before the game! He is brilliant with stuff like that and is the man to go to when it’s to do with coffee.

“He is just a great guy and, when you listen to everyone, no-one can speak highly enough of him and I wish him all the best for the future. I’m sure I will stay in touch with him.”

Pugh, who has recently been added to the club’s icon wall, played a key role in promotion from League One with Cherries in 2012-13 before winning the Championship in 2014-15.

He went on to make 67 top-flight appearances for Eddie Howe’s men.