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Gary Madine believes he can win over his doubters at Wanderers and become the proven goal-scorer the Macron fans crave.
The big striker is now back on song after a 13-game barren spell and has scored three times in his last two outings.
Madine has emerged from a difficult first season with the Whites to become a regular starter under Phil Parkinson but knows he is yet to gain the full backing of the terraces.
The 26-year-old front man insists he can rediscover the prolific form he showed earlier in his career with Carlisle United and Sheffield Wednesday and build on the six goals he already has to his name this term.
“I haven’t got any targets but I read a bit online before the season started about fans saying we haven’t got a 20-goal-a-season man – and I know I probably shouldn’t,” he told The Bolton News.
“I’m sat there banging my head against a wall thinking ‘I scored 18 goals two years ago and that was when I was just a baby.’
“I am a lot better player than I was then. I’m hoping I can get close to that again.”
Madine ended his first season at Bolton with just four goals, as a persistent groin problem and an often-stormy relationship with his former boss Neil Lennon all took their toll on his form.
After relegation he – and others – had a point to prove to the Wanderers fans, and a pre-match exchange with one supporter at Wimbledon in August summed up his situation.
“The second game of the season we played Wimbledon and we were doing the warm-up and someone shouted Gary Madine, washing machine,” he told us.
“I turned round and gave him a look and he said: ‘Prove me wrong then.’
“The gaffer pulled me after the game and said ‘it’s clear the fans don’t like you but you can either sink or swim, what do you want to do?’
“I scored that game. That is my character. I assure you I’ll swim.
“We’re sat here second in the league, I have three goals in the last two games and six for the season. If fans are singing my name they need to get a bit louder – but I don’t mind, a few more goals and you never know.”
Wanderers could go top on Saturday if they win at Chesterfield and leaders Scunthorpe fail to do so at home to Millwall.
Madine is happy to be back among the goals but the club’s league position remains his paramount concern.
“It isn’t about me - I don’t care if I don’t score again, just so long as we get promoted,” he said.
“I’d been feeling a bit sorry for myself in the last few weeks, getting a few chances and not putting them away.
“I do feel like I’ve been working harder this season. My fitness levels are much higher than they were last year. It shows you, the harder you work the more tired your centre-halves get, then you get more chances in front of goal.
“There haven’t been many good times, personally, since I came here, which makes this all the better. But even if I’m not scoring, we’re winning games and sat second in the league. I can’t grumble.”
Madine credits fitness coach Nick Allamby with getting him into the best physical shape of his Wanderers career but still has to be mindful of the groin issues which have affected him for the last 12 months.
His brace against Gillingham on Monday night earned him a man of the match trophy from the Sky Sports panel – which lasted just a few minutes as it was passed around the dressing room.
“Our goalkeeping coach dropped it,” laughed Madine. “What chance have we got?”
Source
The big striker is now back on song after a 13-game barren spell and has scored three times in his last two outings.
Madine has emerged from a difficult first season with the Whites to become a regular starter under Phil Parkinson but knows he is yet to gain the full backing of the terraces.
The 26-year-old front man insists he can rediscover the prolific form he showed earlier in his career with Carlisle United and Sheffield Wednesday and build on the six goals he already has to his name this term.
“I haven’t got any targets but I read a bit online before the season started about fans saying we haven’t got a 20-goal-a-season man – and I know I probably shouldn’t,” he told The Bolton News.
“I’m sat there banging my head against a wall thinking ‘I scored 18 goals two years ago and that was when I was just a baby.’
“I am a lot better player than I was then. I’m hoping I can get close to that again.”
Madine ended his first season at Bolton with just four goals, as a persistent groin problem and an often-stormy relationship with his former boss Neil Lennon all took their toll on his form.
After relegation he – and others – had a point to prove to the Wanderers fans, and a pre-match exchange with one supporter at Wimbledon in August summed up his situation.
“The second game of the season we played Wimbledon and we were doing the warm-up and someone shouted Gary Madine, washing machine,” he told us.
“I turned round and gave him a look and he said: ‘Prove me wrong then.’
“The gaffer pulled me after the game and said ‘it’s clear the fans don’t like you but you can either sink or swim, what do you want to do?’
“I scored that game. That is my character. I assure you I’ll swim.
“We’re sat here second in the league, I have three goals in the last two games and six for the season. If fans are singing my name they need to get a bit louder – but I don’t mind, a few more goals and you never know.”
Wanderers could go top on Saturday if they win at Chesterfield and leaders Scunthorpe fail to do so at home to Millwall.
Madine is happy to be back among the goals but the club’s league position remains his paramount concern.
“It isn’t about me - I don’t care if I don’t score again, just so long as we get promoted,” he said.
“I’d been feeling a bit sorry for myself in the last few weeks, getting a few chances and not putting them away.
“I do feel like I’ve been working harder this season. My fitness levels are much higher than they were last year. It shows you, the harder you work the more tired your centre-halves get, then you get more chances in front of goal.
“There haven’t been many good times, personally, since I came here, which makes this all the better. But even if I’m not scoring, we’re winning games and sat second in the league. I can’t grumble.”
Madine credits fitness coach Nick Allamby with getting him into the best physical shape of his Wanderers career but still has to be mindful of the groin issues which have affected him for the last 12 months.
His brace against Gillingham on Monday night earned him a man of the match trophy from the Sky Sports panel – which lasted just a few minutes as it was passed around the dressing room.
“Our goalkeeping coach dropped it,” laughed Madine. “What chance have we got?”
Source