SHAUN Cooper has revealed how Cherries boss Kevin Bond persuaded him to stay at Dean Court.

Cooper yesterday committed himself to a new two-year contract after rejecting a similar deal with League One Crewe.

The 24-year-old was on the verge of moving to south Cheshire before making an 11th-hour U-turn after Cherries had offered him improved terms.

Cooper told the Daily Echo last night: "I've enjoyed working under the gaffer and I think I can speak for most of the other lads when I say that. He had a chat with me and talked me round. I still wasn't 100 per cent sure, even up until last night.

"I'd thought long and hard about everything and when you speak to the gaffer and the chairman, you know what their intentions are. I liked what I heard.

"I love it here, all the players are good lads and the coaching staff are good. I've played in League Two before and think we can do really well. I thought we had a good team for League One level so we should do very well. It will be nice to be challenging for something.

"It's going to be diffiuclt with the 15-point deduction and you've only got to look at what Leeds did last season and still didn't go up. Hopefully, we can sneak into the play-offs. We've got a very good squad and can do well."

Bond's last-ditch bid to keep Cooper paid off, even after the player and his agent had informed Cherries he would be signing for Crewe. It is believed negotiations were concluded late on Tuesday night before Cooper told Crewe yesterday morning.

Cherries boss Bond said: "I'm absolutely delighted he's decided to stay. He was very close to signing for a League One club and I think it's great credit to the chairman that he's worked so hard in convincing Shaun that his future lies at Bournemouth.

"He's a good player, he's done very well and that's been recognised by other people. I understand his desire to progress but he's satisfied in his own mind that his future lies here.

"He recognises how well we did at the end of last season and we want to keep as many of those players together in order to give ourselves a chance of winning as many games as we can this season and he's stuck with us and I'm delighted he has.

"I've always got on well with Shaun personally. I know him and he knows me. I've spoken to him at great length and the chairman has worked really hard to keep him as well and eventually Shaun's decided he is best off here.

"He's an ambitious boy and wants to do well. He's decided in the long term he would be better served here. It's a real fillip for everybody at the club."

Negotiations are continuing with Cherries' remaining out-of-contract players - Darren Anderton, Marvin Bartley, Danny Hollands and Josh Gowling - although Carlisle are understood to have joined the race to prise Gowling from Dean Court.