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Stephen Dobbie's first home start for Wanderers on Saturday may not have gone to plan but the Scot is determined to stay in manager Neil Lennon's thoughts.
The 32-year-old forward was a surprise name on the team-sheet against Bristol City having started just one game prior to last weekend since his summer switch from Crystal Palace – in the 4-1 defeat at Huddersfield in September.
Naturally, Dobbie was keen to make an impact but a nasty knock in the opening half meant his first Macron start ended at the interval.
However, the Glaswegian hopes it won't be long before he is back in the starting line-up again.
"I’ve only started a couple of games but for me it’s just a case of working hard in training and hopefully I’ll get more opportunities throughout the course of the season," he said.
"You need to be ready to step up to the plate and do a job for the team.
"I know what I’m able to do and I’ll always be ready to take the chance when it arises.
"I never doubt myself when I’m out there on the pitch, which hopefully shows in my play.
"At the age that I am now you know that you’re not likely to be first choice every week.
"When you’re a youngster coming up through the ranks, you just want to be proving your worth but as the years go by you know that you just need to be ready to be called upon.
"Of course, if I get the chance to start more games for the club then I’ll give nothing less than 110 per cent.
"But ultimately I understand the gaffer knows best and all I can do is be prepared and ready to go when needed."
Despite being restricted mainly to substitute appearances this season, Dobbie says he is enjoying being at Wanderers after something of a nomadic career in recent years.
After joining Palace on a permanent deal in the summer of 2013, he played just twice before joining Blackpool on loan and last season he spent time down the Fylde coast at Fleetwood Town.
Dobbie told the club: "It’s been a bit of an odd one during the last couple of years in the sense that I’ve been out on loan a lot and it’s been hard for me to really settle into a team.
"But I’m loving being at Bolton with a permanent contract under my belt.
"It does help when you’re able to settle as you’re then able to fully concentrate on your football and not worry about anything else.
"I’ve certainly been learning while I’ve been here as well – you never stop learning in this game, no matter how experienced you are.
"Getting the chance to work with the lads that we have here has been a great experience for me so far.
"Coming here after being at Fleetwood on loan last year – it’s a completely different challenge.
"It didn’t really work out for me at Fleetwood but you’ll rarely go through a career and enjoy every moment – that’s just football.
"Right now, though, I’m really happy and I think that’s showing out there on the pitch.
"I just want to play as much as possible and score as many goals as I can for Bolton."
Speaking of goals, Dobbie is already off the mark for the Whites – breaking the club's duck with a late leveller against Nottingham Forest in August.
And it was a moment he cherished.
He added: "It was a great way to introduce myself to the Bolton fans with it being one of the first home games of the season.
"I was able to let them know what I’m about early on.
"For the gaffer to throw me in showed me the faith he has in me and thankfully I was able to repay him with the equaliser against Forest.
"When you’ve got players like Mark Davies in the team who are capable of playing brilliant balls into you, it does make life a lot easier and luckily for that goal his pass found me and it went into the bottom corner.
"It was a relief for everyone. As much as you try to think that every game is a clean slate, it does play on your mind a little the longer you go without scoring.
"As a striker you will go through dry patches in your career but it’s rarely through the want of trying.
"Sometimes you’re probably trying too hard to make it go into the back of the net and that can be worse.
"When one goes in, though, it takes the pressure off and hopefully there are more goals to come from myself and the other strikers we have."
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The 32-year-old forward was a surprise name on the team-sheet against Bristol City having started just one game prior to last weekend since his summer switch from Crystal Palace – in the 4-1 defeat at Huddersfield in September.
Naturally, Dobbie was keen to make an impact but a nasty knock in the opening half meant his first Macron start ended at the interval.
However, the Glaswegian hopes it won't be long before he is back in the starting line-up again.
"I’ve only started a couple of games but for me it’s just a case of working hard in training and hopefully I’ll get more opportunities throughout the course of the season," he said.
"You need to be ready to step up to the plate and do a job for the team.
"I know what I’m able to do and I’ll always be ready to take the chance when it arises.
"I never doubt myself when I’m out there on the pitch, which hopefully shows in my play.
"At the age that I am now you know that you’re not likely to be first choice every week.
"When you’re a youngster coming up through the ranks, you just want to be proving your worth but as the years go by you know that you just need to be ready to be called upon.
"Of course, if I get the chance to start more games for the club then I’ll give nothing less than 110 per cent.
"But ultimately I understand the gaffer knows best and all I can do is be prepared and ready to go when needed."
Despite being restricted mainly to substitute appearances this season, Dobbie says he is enjoying being at Wanderers after something of a nomadic career in recent years.
After joining Palace on a permanent deal in the summer of 2013, he played just twice before joining Blackpool on loan and last season he spent time down the Fylde coast at Fleetwood Town.
Dobbie told the club: "It’s been a bit of an odd one during the last couple of years in the sense that I’ve been out on loan a lot and it’s been hard for me to really settle into a team.
"But I’m loving being at Bolton with a permanent contract under my belt.
"It does help when you’re able to settle as you’re then able to fully concentrate on your football and not worry about anything else.
"I’ve certainly been learning while I’ve been here as well – you never stop learning in this game, no matter how experienced you are.
"Getting the chance to work with the lads that we have here has been a great experience for me so far.
"Coming here after being at Fleetwood on loan last year – it’s a completely different challenge.
"It didn’t really work out for me at Fleetwood but you’ll rarely go through a career and enjoy every moment – that’s just football.
"Right now, though, I’m really happy and I think that’s showing out there on the pitch.
"I just want to play as much as possible and score as many goals as I can for Bolton."
Speaking of goals, Dobbie is already off the mark for the Whites – breaking the club's duck with a late leveller against Nottingham Forest in August.
And it was a moment he cherished.
He added: "It was a great way to introduce myself to the Bolton fans with it being one of the first home games of the season.
"I was able to let them know what I’m about early on.
"For the gaffer to throw me in showed me the faith he has in me and thankfully I was able to repay him with the equaliser against Forest.
"When you’ve got players like Mark Davies in the team who are capable of playing brilliant balls into you, it does make life a lot easier and luckily for that goal his pass found me and it went into the bottom corner.
"It was a relief for everyone. As much as you try to think that every game is a clean slate, it does play on your mind a little the longer you go without scoring.
"As a striker you will go through dry patches in your career but it’s rarely through the want of trying.
"Sometimes you’re probably trying too hard to make it go into the back of the net and that can be worse.
"When one goes in, though, it takes the pressure off and hopefully there are more goals to come from myself and the other strikers we have."
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