SUPERSTITIOUS Scott Parker admitted he was saluting magpies on a “minutely-basis” during Cherries’ unbeaten run – as well as continuing to don his lucky jacket.

The head coach has guided his side to an unbeaten nine-game Championship run, with six wins and three draws yielding an impressive 21-point haul to begin the campaign.

Parker is looking to mastermind a fifth victory on the spin for the Dorset club at Peterborough United tomorrow (7.45pm).

And while he insisted he was “not too extreme” regarding his psychological rituals, the Cherries boss admitted some things needed to be done to make him feel at ease.

Asked by the Daily Echo whether superstitions now started to creep in, Parker replied: “They do a little bit. There are certain elements which are superstitious.

“It’s just part and parcel of the craziness of the world you live in.

“You win a couple of games and before you know it, you’re saluting magpies on a minutely-basis driving in. I can’t wait to see two of them! That’s one of them – you don’t want to see just one!

“It’s just little things that as you can imagine, everyone is the same. I’m not too extreme.

“I have been around managers who have some really extreme ones in terms of even training regimes and training things.

“It’s more just silly little things that probably make me feel psychologically a bit comfortable, as mad as it sounds – and it is crazy to think - because it’s got no relevance.

“But I suppose it’s just human nature and it makes you feel a little bit more comfortable at certain moments.”

The former England midfielder, renowned for his sharp dress sense on the touchline, has put on the same grey jacket for Cherries’ impressive run in the league.

He switched up his attire with a navy cardigan for the 6-0 Carabao Cup second-round defeat to Norwich last month.

Asked whether the grey jacket for league games was lucky, the 40-year-old replied: “At the moment that seems the case, so I will keep that on and hopefully that keeps going.

“It will definitely wear out – I think we know that, don’t we?! It shows probably what rubbish that some of them (superstitions) are but we will keep going with that.”

Referring to the unlucky navy cardigan, Parker said: “You’ve got me bang on. I don’t want to answer that to be fair!

“That’s still about, it just comes out on a social event – not professionally! I won’t bring that out professionally.”