CHERRIES manager Eddie Howe believes Aaron Ramsdale's loan spell with relegated Chesterfield "could be the making of him".

Goalkeeper Ramsdale joined the Spireites in January and made 19 appearances as their 97-year stay in the Football League came to an end.

The 19-year-old featured in five wins and kept two clean sheets as Chesterfield finished the season eight points adrift in League Two.

An £800,000 buy from Sheffield United in January 2017, Ramsdale helped England win the European Under-19 Championship last summer.

He was sent out on loan to gain some valuable experience, having been on the bench for Cherries' Premier League clashes at Everton in September and at Leicester on the final day of last season.

Ramsdale, who has yet to make a first-team appearance for Cherries, lined up twice for Sheffield United in the FA Cup in 2016.

Howe told the Daily Echo: "First and foremost, it was a great experience for Aaron.

"And although it was also a bitterly disappointing one, it could be the making of him.

"The idea with loan players is they go and do very well but really what you are sending them out for is experience.

"They need to take it all in, feel whatever happens and realise the importance of it.

"Aaron played in League Two and for a club whose Football League status was at stake and you can't underestimate the importance of that.

"We have been there and we know so that will do him the world of good.

"It was a painful experience but I want him to use that pain as a motivation to further his career.

"We believe in his talent, we believe in the player and we believe in the personality.

"Sending him on loan could be one of the best decisions we made. I am pleased he played a lot of games.

"He was a key player for them but, ultimately, it ended in disappointment."

Ramsdale and Cherries team-mate Lewis Cook are currently on duty with England under-21s in southern France, preparing for the Maurice Revello Tournament in Toulon.

England kick off their group matches against China at Aubagne’s Stade de Lattre on Saturday before facing Mexico in Salon three days later and Qatar at the Stade Parsemain in Fos-sur-Mer on June 1.

The 12 competing nations then play a fourth game to decide the final rankings or a semi-final on 6 June before the final takes place in Martigues on June 9.

Ramsdale has been named in the under-21 squad for the first time and will vye with Newcastle's Freddie Woodman for the number one shirt.

The Young Lions, led by Aidy Boothroyd, will be aiming to win the tournament for a third successive year following victories in 2016 and 2017.

Boothroyd told the FA: “The Toulon Tournament is one that we are all looking forward to and we will be playing some really good and tough global opposition.

“As the tournament rules only allow players born in 1997 and younger, it means we have the chance to look at some of our players from the under-20s and see how they develop in this group.

“Everything we do is focused on next summer’s Euros and qualification so we will use our time in France to look at different systems and use players in different positions.

"It is also a great chance to replicate a major tournament environment and schedule.

“Ultimately, we want to win every game and will be looking for that from the squad on and off the pitch.”

England’s 2019 European Under-21 Championship qualification campaign continues when they face Netherlands and Latvia in September.

England squad: Aaron Ramsdale (AFC Bournemouth), Freddie Woodman (Newcastle United), Jake Clarke-Salter (Chelsea), Jay Dasilva (Chelsea), Dael Fry (Middlesbrough), Jonjoe Kenny (Everton), Ezri Konsa (Charlton Athletic), Tom Pearce (Leeds United), Fikayo Tomori (Chelsea), Kyle Walker-Peters (Tottenham Hotspur), Harvey Barnes (Leicester City), Lewis Cook (AFC Bournemouth), Tom Davies (Everton), Kieran Dowell (Everton), Ovie Ejaria (Liverpool), Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal), Tammy Abraham (Chelsea), Adam Armstrong (Newcastle United), Edward Nketiah (Arsenal), Lukas Nmecha (Manchester City).