CHERRIES legend Tommy Elphick has returned to the club, taking a role on the coaching staff.

Elphick, who captained Cherries to the Premier League, retired from playing this summer following a spell at Huddersfield Town.

But the 33-year-old is quickly back in work, linking up with Cherries to work alongside under-21s boss Shaun Cooper in the club's development squad.

Elphick, who won the 2013 Daily Echo-Micky Cave Cherries player of the year award, told the Cherries club website: “I’m thrilled to be back at a club which has very fond memories for me. I loved my time as a player and can’t wait to get started as a coach.

“I would like to express my thanks and gratitude to Neill Blake and Richard Hughes for identifying me as someone they want to invest in and nurture into becoming a coach. I’m really grateful for the opportunity.

“I’m also looking forward to working with my former teammate Simon Francis (assistant technical director) who is also starting on his own new journey with the football club.

“I’m delighted to be back at a club where I feel comfortable and where my stock always remained relatively high after I had left. I always had a great relationship with everybody around the club and the supporters.

“This position will give me a great platform to hopefully become a good coach and an asset to the club off the pitch in the future.

“I am starting an apprenticeship in the coaching world and am really looking forward to working with Shaun Cooper and Alan Connell, two very conscientious guys who have been responsible for bringing through a host of players.

“I know they are both very highly thought of and I am looking forward to learning from them and being by their side.

“They played under some great managers and have both found their way in coaching. You only have to see the players who have progressed to the first-team squad to see what a tremendous job is being done by the academy staff.

“Within the role, hopefully there will be an opportunity to watch the gaffer, Matt Wells, Gary O’Neil and Steve Fletcher and learn as much as I can from them as well.”

Elphick made 145 appearances for Cherries across a four-year spell, netting six goals.

Arriving in 2012 from hometown club Brighton, the centre-back immediately helped Cherries to promotion from League One, having taken the armband mid-season from the injured Miles Addison.

Elphick then formed a formidable centre-back pairing with Steve Cook in the Championship, going on to play every game of the title-winning 2014-15 campaign.

Injury began to hamper the defender during Cherries' first season in the Premier League. He played 12 times in the top-flight, scoring once, before exiting to join Aston Villa, where he again was made captain.

Loan spells at Reading and Hull City followed, before Elphick ended his career at Huddersfield.

Due to knee surgery, he was unable to feature at all last season, with his final game in professional football coming in a 3-1 Championship loss at Preston in November 2019.

But Elphick is now back at Cherries, working towards his UEFA A licence in coaching.