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Will Buckley finally feels ready to show Wanderers fans what they have been missing.
Hampered by injury for much of the Championship season, the 28-year-old winger has not been able hit top gear since signing on a free transfer last summer.
Buckley remains convinced, however, that after fighting back to full fitness he can now play a prominent role in the run-in, starting with a trip to face his former club Leeds United on Friday.
“I feel good at the minute,” he told The Bolton News. “You need a few games to get back to your best and it’s been a bit stop-start for me this season.
“But I’ve started the last three now and I feel like I can really kick on and do a job for the team.”
Uwe Rosler signed Buckley on loan for Leeds from Sunderland in October 2015 but the German coach was sacked at Elland Road less than a fortnight later.
His replacement, Steve Evans, stated publicly he had been “disappointed” with Buckley’s form before cutting the loan short.
A total of four appearances, and just one start, meant the midfielder failed to make a lasting impression on Leeds – something he would love to rectify in a Bolton shirt.
“My time at Leeds didn’t go well,” he said. “I was only there for a short time but I didn’t play and it would be nice for me to go back there and get a win, maybe a goal.
“They are a big club and they started really well when they beat us on the opening day of the season. I thought they looked a really good team.
“We have picked up a lot since then so I think it will be a lot closer game.”
Since Boxing Day, no team in the Championship has took fewer points than Leeds (eight). Wanderers have lost just four of their 14 games in comparison.
Buckley admits playing catch-up from such a poor start to the campaign has left little margin for error.
“The start we had, it was like throwing 10 games away,” he said. “We haven’t had a chance to relax all season so we’re not about to start now. I’m happy with where we are with eight games to go but there are some big ones left to play.”
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Hampered by injury for much of the Championship season, the 28-year-old winger has not been able hit top gear since signing on a free transfer last summer.
Buckley remains convinced, however, that after fighting back to full fitness he can now play a prominent role in the run-in, starting with a trip to face his former club Leeds United on Friday.
“I feel good at the minute,” he told The Bolton News. “You need a few games to get back to your best and it’s been a bit stop-start for me this season.
“But I’ve started the last three now and I feel like I can really kick on and do a job for the team.”
Uwe Rosler signed Buckley on loan for Leeds from Sunderland in October 2015 but the German coach was sacked at Elland Road less than a fortnight later.
His replacement, Steve Evans, stated publicly he had been “disappointed” with Buckley’s form before cutting the loan short.
A total of four appearances, and just one start, meant the midfielder failed to make a lasting impression on Leeds – something he would love to rectify in a Bolton shirt.
“My time at Leeds didn’t go well,” he said. “I was only there for a short time but I didn’t play and it would be nice for me to go back there and get a win, maybe a goal.
“They are a big club and they started really well when they beat us on the opening day of the season. I thought they looked a really good team.
“We have picked up a lot since then so I think it will be a lot closer game.”
Since Boxing Day, no team in the Championship has took fewer points than Leeds (eight). Wanderers have lost just four of their 14 games in comparison.
Buckley admits playing catch-up from such a poor start to the campaign has left little margin for error.
“The start we had, it was like throwing 10 games away,” he said. “We haven’t had a chance to relax all season so we’re not about to start now. I’m happy with where we are with eight games to go but there are some big ones left to play.”
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