Bolton Wanderers keeper Ben Alnwick sets season objectives

Ben Alnwick believes it is high time Wanderers put their days of Championship struggle behind them.

The 31-year-old keeper, who signed a new two-year deal on Wednesday, does not want to hear talk of another survival-first campaign.

Instead, Alnwick is hoping by the time Phil Parkinson’s team kick off on the first weekend of August more people will be talking optimistically about about Bolton’s chances.

“I think everyone at the club would have settled on staying up at the start of last season,” he told The Bolton News, “more so when you see the sort of start we got off to.

“But I think we have to move on now. A club of Bolton’s size shouldn’t just be talking about staying up or playing down there at the bottom of the division. I think it’s time to push on.

“There is no reason why we can’t do that. We have a good core here and the gaffer will be working hard to bring in new players. He’s big on researching their background, knowing what they are like as a person, and so I don’t think it will affect us much whoever he brings in. They will fit in.

“I think everyone needs to start looking forward and put the struggling behind us. I think we can have a right good go.”

Alnwick missed the post-match festivities against Forest after being selected for a drugs test, but added: “Mark Beevers’ stag do was a couple of weeks ago. I made up for it!”

Meanwhile, Wanderers have shelved plans to face Danish side Odense in pre-season in favour of a short trip to Scotland. Dates and opponents have yet to be confirmed by the club but speaking yesterday, Ken Anderson felt the decision to stay in the UK would be beneficial for Parkinson’s preparations.

“I’m a firm believer that clubs don’t always need to go overseas to get the right preparation,” he said. “Training camps abroad can provide distractions and don’t always offer the ideal conditions for what clubs can expect over the course of the season.”

An away friendly against National League North Guiseley has been scheduled for July 24, kick-off 7.45pm.

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Fuck me, the rallying calls have started and it's only June.

l think we all agree that it would be great if we weren't struggling the entire season next time out so it's all a bit motherhood and apple pie as the Yanks like to say. However the biggest determining factor in achieving that success is substantial new money coming into the club - or not.
It's all down to Anderson as he is the only person who will value the business and his shares i.e. the buy-in price.
Rather than selling the club being a straightforward issue, Anderson has included a different dimension via his press releases - his own moral judgement as to what is "best for the club" - which he can always turn to as an excuse if he doesn't get anyone who accepts his valuation.
Anderson therefore holds all the cards: he sets the price and has a ready made justification to appease the fans (albeit spurious) for not selling. Unless GOD decides to buy the club, any potential buyer will have something in their past that can be used to vaunt the idea that they are not fit and Anderson has history of going down that particular road so I guess it will boil down to whether or not somebody is willing to pay Anderson what he wants both in terms of the deal for the club and what he wants out of it personally - anything else and he's in a position to pull the deal.
The next few weeks will determine where we will be next season so it's over to you to bring home the bacon Ken.
Problem is that if he decides not to accept an investment deal we are likely to struggle big time.