JASON Tindall hailed captain Steve Cook "a really good servant to the football club" as he prepares to make his 350th Cherries appearance tomorrow, adding: "He'll want to make that 500!"

Cook, who joined Cherries initially on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2011, has risen all the way up from League One with the Dorset club.

The centre-back completed a permanent move from boyhood club Brighton for around £170,000 in January 2012 under Lee Bradbury.

And after initially struggling to get into the side when Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall returned to Cherries from Burnley to replace Paul Groves, he soon established himself as first choice and barely missed a game in the rise to the Premier League.

Of Cook's 349 outings to date, 168 have come in the Premier League, with the 29-year-old scoring 21 goals across all competitions so far for Cherries.

Providing he is selected to take on Nottingham Forest, tomorrow evening is set to mark a big milestone for Cook, who sits ninth in the all-time list of league appearances for the club.

"It's a great achievement," Tindall told the Daily Echo.

"I think you don’t see it too often nowadays, players making that many appearances for clubs. Great credit to him.

"He’s worked extremely hard, he’s been a really good servant to the football club so far and even looking at his performances so far this season, he’s delivered some really good, consistent performances.

"Delighted with Steve, but knowing Cookie and knowing the way he is, he’ll want to make that 400, 450, 500. Keep him fit and hopefully he’ll stay out there and continue playing."

Asked what his first impressions were of Cook after returning to the club as assistant boss in 2012, Tindall said: "Good player. A lot younger back then, like us all!

"But he’s been a good servant to the football club. You don’t play that many games for any football club without being a good player and performing at a good level. Cookie’s done that.

"He was a very good player when we first arrived at the football club and the experiences that he’s gained during that time, he’s got a lot more experience behind him now."

Although he went on to become a regular as Cherries clinched promotion from League One in 2012-13, Cook only played twice in Howe's first eight games back at the club, with Miles Addison and Tommy Elphick the preferred central defensive pair.

"I think any manager whenever you go into a club, probably the first month or two months you’re assessing your whole squad and getting to know players that you didn’t know before and seeing how they train and how they perform," recalls Tindall.

"From what I remember, Tommy Elphick and Steve Cook forged a great partnership at the back. They complemented each other’s games very, very well and were great servants and a big reason as to why the club was successful, with those two at the heart of the defence.

"He (Cook) was a great signing for the football club. At the time, Steve Cook for 170 grand, we’ve certainly got our value in that transfer fee.

"Centre-halves tend to peak around about late 20 or early 30s. I’m sure there’s a lot more miles still left in Steve Cook. I’m sure he’ll be looking to play a lot more games."