HOT-HEADED Cherries midfielder Harry Arter has issued a public apology for his poor disciplinary record and has revealed he is taking steps to clean up his act.

Arter is walking a tightrope after collecting his ninth booking of the season – and fourth in six games – during Cherries’ FA Cup first round clash with Gillingham six days ago.

The 21-year-old has already served a one-match ban for picking up five yellow cards and would be suspended for a further two games should he again transgress.

And with the majority of his bookings down to dissent towards officials, Arter has enlisted the help of a psychologist in a bid to help curb his fiery temper.

Arter told the Daily Echo: “It is something I am working on and know I need to. I get caught up in the moment and can get angry. I always want to get on the ball and get frustrated if I can’t. I didn’t say anything to the referee in the Gillingham game but I raised my arms in the air and shouldn’t have.

“I don’t intend to get booked and, if anything, I am going into games knowing I need to watch my step. I just seem to let myself down and it is something I have got to address. I want to apologise to my team-mates, the management and the supporters.

“I will be doing my utmost and trying my hardest not to get booked. I know I have got to keep my mouth shut and time my tackles better. It is something I am consciously trying to work on and not just putting to one side.

“I speak to someone from outside of the game and they are trying to help me control that side of things. I am trying really hard to control my temper because the last thing I want is to be missing games, especially as I have forced my way into the team this season.”

While Cherries have one of the best disciplinary records in League One, Arter is the most-booked player in the division having collected seven of his nine cards in league games. MK Dons’ Stephen Gleeson and Michael Bostwick from Stevenage are alongside him in the hall of shame.

Cherries boss Lee Bradbury told the Daily Echo: “It could cost Harry and the team because he is one booking from a two-game ban. He gets so wrapped up and involved in the game that he doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut.

“We have had a chat about it and he is working on it and is conscious of it. We need to make some positive steps because he seems to be getting booked in every game. It is not as if he is making tackles and getting booked, it is because of the way he talks to referees.

“Harry wears his heart on his sleeve and is so passionate about the games that he finds it hard to channel it in the right way. If a decision goes against him, he seems to explode.

“He knows it is part of his game that he needs to work on and I am sure he will.”