MENTOR Neil Moss believes Dan Thomas has the ability to become an accomplished goalkeeper and is urging his young protégé to realise his potential.

The youth team graduate, who was handed a new 12-month contract last month, will spend next season on loan with non-league neighbours Dorchester Town.

Thomas, who had two spells with the Dorset outfit last term, will train full-time with Cherries while also gaining valuable first-team experience in Conference South.

Moss told the Echo: “He progressed well last season and came on. For me, his biggest problem is he doesn’t realise how good he can be.

“Sometimes, he just switches off, and that is our fault as well as his. He needs to play a lot more games.

“On the promising side, we had great reports back about him from Dorchester. He did very well there and he will now go there all year and, hopefully, play about 50 games.

“He needs to know what it is like to be a first-team keeper and having to keep fit, train and play that number of games in a season.

“It will be the first year he has had to do it and it will be a big test and a big year for him.

“I am confident he will come through it. He is a nice lad, he is hugely popular with everyone at the club and we all want him to do well.”

Moss added: “I see the potential in him more than he sees it himself.

“It will be a really good year for Dan and I really hope he goes there and it clicks that this is what football is all about. If he does that, then he will be a very good goalkeeper.”