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Dapo Afolayan has Eoin Doyle’s 20-year record in his sights after adding another goal to his tally in Saturday’s 4-0 whitewash of Wimbledon.
Now boasting 13 goals to his name, the winger is confident he can score plenty more as Ian Evatt’s attack-minded side look to make a late run for the play-offs.
With 13 games to go, Bolton are seven points off the top six. Afolayan is already only the second player at Wanderers to top 12 goals since Michael Ricketts managed it in 2002, but with room to spare, he is now hoping to top Doyle’s benchmark of 19 in last season’s promotion from League Two.
“I am enjoying my football and expressing myself,” he said. “It is something we spoke about a lot last year, my goals, and it is something I want to keep improving on.
“I don’t know how many more I can score…. How many games are left?
“Hopefully I can catch Doyler. That is great company to be in because Doyler was phenomenal for us and when he left I wished him all the best because he helped me massively in my career, he taught me such a lot, and it is great to be in that category.”
Afolayan has already topped the goal returns of Kevin Davies, Ivan Klasnic and even Nicolas Anelka in a single season – but reckons their achievements should be regarded in a different category.
“That was the Premier League and hopefully one day that will be me,” he smiled.
Afolayan has started only five of the last nine games and was dropped to the bench for Tuesday’s defeat at Burton. And though he wants to maximise his time in the starting line-up – he is confident Wanderers also have plenty of other quality options in attack.
“I love football and I know what I can bring to the team. I always want to be on the pitch and doing what I do, scoring, creating,” he said.
“But at the same time I know this team is in capable hands. We have brought in some very good players and the manager knows what he is doing.
“I don’t really see myself as a striker but having their quality around me, even with the little things, the type of player I am, I appreciate it. They bring the team further forward to let me get into the game.
“As players we have to trust in the manager and his staff, then when we do get an opportunity make sure we affect things in the right way.”
Wanderers are still an outside shot for the play-offs and Afolayan believes the experience gained from last season’s promotion run could put them in good stead.
“You have to treat each game as it comes,” he said. “I know from being here last year that looking up the table doesn’t help too much, you should only focus on what is in front of you. Then you can end up in the position you want to be in.
“Take each game for what it is and don’t try and look too far into the future.”
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