CHERRIES keeper Aaron Ramsdale admitted his rejection from former club Bolton Wanderers “could possibly be the best thing which ever happened to me”.

The 21-year-old has been a revelation for Eddie Howe’s men this season, starting all of their Premier League games.

He could also once again line up for England’s under-21s in a European qualifier against Austria in Milton Keynes on Tuesday (7.45pm).

Ramsdale was released from Bolton at the age of 15 after being told he was “too small and couldn’t kick”.

Describing his journey to the top flight while being interviewed by Cherries’ team-mate Harry Wilson on afcbTV, Ramsdale said: “It’s been difficult.

“There’s a lot of rejection as a young kid, obviously getting released at Bolton – being too small and couldn’t kick.

“But that could possibly be the best thing which ever happened to me. It gave me the backbone and the toughness to never say die.

“Signing here (at Cherries) from Sheffield United, it was a lonely journey for the first two years.

“I didn’t enjoy it and probably didn’t fulfil my potential but had two good loan periods.

“One with Chesterfield, which we got relegated in but one with Wimbledon where we managed to stay up.

“I can look back at that in the mirror and say I had a massive part to play. I think I grew into a man.

“Now I am standing here today, I am using my experiences from then to take into the games for Bournemouth.”