NEW loan signing Adam Lallana admitted he had a vested interest after watching Jo Kuffour fire Cherries a step closer to Wembley this week.

The Saints midfielder, 19, turned in an impressive debut in Tuesday's 1-0 win at Bristol Rovers that saw the club reach the area quarter-finals of the Johnstone's Paints Trophy for the first time in five years.

And having been among the crowd for their Auto Windscreens Shield final in 1998, lifelong Cherries fan Lallana is desperate to earn a return ticket.

The Saints teenager, who lives in Iford, said: "I was only nine but it was a brilliant day out. I went with my dad and a couple of friends and we had a great time.

"I would love to repeat it this season and it would be great to play a part in helping Bournemouth reach Wembley."

St Albans-born Lallana, who moved to Dorset when he was five, is on loan at Dean Court for a month.

His first League One game comes this Sunday against in-form visitors Swansea.

The last time Lallana played at Dean Court he scored for England under-18s against Slovenia in April 2006.

Lallana is the latest Saints academy graduate to join Cherries on loan.

Since the start of the 2003/04 season, the club have also signed Martin Cranie, Matthew Mills, Andrew Surman, Simon Gillett, Leon Best and David McGoldrick on loan from St Mary's.

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