STEVE Fletcher believes Cherries are "too good to go down" and admits he is "saddened" by the club's current plight.

Fletcher was among the crowd as Cherries crashed to another depressing home defeat at the hands of Swansea on Sunday.

And despite backing them to turn the tide, the popular striker has also warned the Dean Court faithful to prepare for another bumpy ride.

Cherries' record appearance holder joined Chesterfield after his 15-year association with the club came to an end following his release in the summer.

He told the Daily Echo: "It was the first time I had seen them this season and it could have gone either way against Swansea.

"I thought Bournemouth started very well and it was an open game. They shaded the first 15 minutes and then got sucker-punched by the free kick for the first goal.

"They've had a few horrible results at home and once that goal went in, you could sense the feeling of 'here we go again' around the ground but the fans stuck by them.

"When things aren't going your way, you concede goals like the second one. It was a free header and crept into the bottom corner. All of a sudden, they were 2-0 down when really there had been nothing in the game.

"The penalty got them back in it and although they didn't create as much in the second half, Lee Bradbury had a good chance to make it 2-2. If that had gone in, I think they may have gone on to win and secured a type of victory that can turn your season around.

"It's really only the home form that is letting them down and I can see them picking up more points away because the pressure is off. It's the same for a lot of teams."

Fletcher added: "On reflection, I think they will be far too good to go down but we all know it doesn't always work that way. They've got to get out of this situation and get over this mini-slump because once you get into a rut, it can be hard to get out of it.

"I know they've got a few injuries, but they've got more than enough quality to pull them through. Chesterfield would die for a couple of players like Darren Anderton, Lee Bradbury, Jo Kuffour, Neil Moss or Shaun Cooper.

"It was my club for 15 years and I don't want to see them at the bottom of the league. We were languishing around the bottom in my last two seasons but managed to get out of trouble. It's different now because they have started slowly and the fans don't want another year of struggle."

Fletcher, who admitted he had been "moved" when the North Stand chanted his name on Sunday, has helped Chesterfield make a flying start in League Two.

He added: "I spent 90 per cent of my career at one club and nobody can ever take that out of me. Things change though and I'm really enjoying what I'm doing now. It's been a breath of fresh air and maybe just what I needed."