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Wanderers must live up to – and embrace – their billing as one of League One's big boys, says Lawrie Wilson.
The defender returned to Bolton after a stint at Peterborough in time to experience the misery of relegation to League One. And as they aim for a first-time return he intends to share his knowledge of the League's nether regions to help the Whites on their way, starting tomorrow against Sheffield United at the Macron Stadium.
Wilson, aged 28, has patrolled the lower-league pitches before, and says he is ready to mount a promotion bid. However, he is issuing a warning that opponents will view Bolton matches as the biggest event of their season, something they must overcome in order to thrive when facing the likes of AFC Wimbledon, Fleetwood and Oxford, all of whom have played non-league football in recent years.
“We are a big club, we can’t escape that," he told The Bolton News. "But the best clubs make sure they are as prepared as possible.
“Teams will raise their game against us but we have to make sure we are organised, know what we are up against and keep going.
“You cannot go into games over-confident but the expectation on a club the size of Bolton isn’t something you should be afraid of, it’s something we have to deal with.
“You go to completely different grounds. There will be some nasty away changing rooms and there are things we need to be prepared for.
“We are a big club in this league and we need to act like it – we can’t be fazed by things.
“It might take some of the lads who have played in League One before to gather the team together and make them aware of these things. It’s my duty because I have played there before.
"We need to be mentally prepared."
Underused by Neil Lennon last term, Wilson played a handful of games for Graham Westley's Posh, a stint that served him well.
And although he was partly absent during a miserably crisis-laden season he feels Parkinson's clean slate is just what the Whites need if they are to right the wrongs of the last, arduous year.
"I went to Peterborough because I had to get games," he said. "Sometimes when you come back it feels like being a new signing again.
“Maybe that’s what I needed. Re-energise and go again.
“I played the last four or five games for Bolton but one of the first meetings we had with the manager was all about drawing a line under last season. We start again.
“Now I feel like I can make a contribution because there is a completely different feel about the place.”
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The defender returned to Bolton after a stint at Peterborough in time to experience the misery of relegation to League One. And as they aim for a first-time return he intends to share his knowledge of the League's nether regions to help the Whites on their way, starting tomorrow against Sheffield United at the Macron Stadium.
Wilson, aged 28, has patrolled the lower-league pitches before, and says he is ready to mount a promotion bid. However, he is issuing a warning that opponents will view Bolton matches as the biggest event of their season, something they must overcome in order to thrive when facing the likes of AFC Wimbledon, Fleetwood and Oxford, all of whom have played non-league football in recent years.
“We are a big club, we can’t escape that," he told The Bolton News. "But the best clubs make sure they are as prepared as possible.
“Teams will raise their game against us but we have to make sure we are organised, know what we are up against and keep going.
“You cannot go into games over-confident but the expectation on a club the size of Bolton isn’t something you should be afraid of, it’s something we have to deal with.
“You go to completely different grounds. There will be some nasty away changing rooms and there are things we need to be prepared for.
“We are a big club in this league and we need to act like it – we can’t be fazed by things.
“It might take some of the lads who have played in League One before to gather the team together and make them aware of these things. It’s my duty because I have played there before.
"We need to be mentally prepared."
Underused by Neil Lennon last term, Wilson played a handful of games for Graham Westley's Posh, a stint that served him well.
And although he was partly absent during a miserably crisis-laden season he feels Parkinson's clean slate is just what the Whites need if they are to right the wrongs of the last, arduous year.
"I went to Peterborough because I had to get games," he said. "Sometimes when you come back it feels like being a new signing again.
“Maybe that’s what I needed. Re-energise and go again.
“I played the last four or five games for Bolton but one of the first meetings we had with the manager was all about drawing a line under last season. We start again.
“Now I feel like I can make a contribution because there is a completely different feel about the place.”
Source