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Gethin Jones is relishing the role of policing the Wanderers dressing room alongside Ricardo Santos.
The defensive duo were installed as captain and vice-captain earlier this season in what Ian Evatt termed his new “leadership team” within the squad.
Jones believes the partnership has worked well and – with help from another experienced head in Alex Baptiste – they have helped to settle a squad which had a sudden influx of seven new faces in January.
Speaking about his role, Jones said he and Santos have occasionally had to lay the law down.
“Me and Rico have had to have a few conversations in the changing rooms with some lads sometimes and obviously we have to watch over everything,” he said.
“Like the manager said, he wants the players to police the changing rooms, he doesn’t need to get involved with everything.
“It has been a massive opportunity for me to grasp it with both hands. It is something I have always wanted to be - I wanted to be a leader, and I am proud to be a leader of this football club.
“But it is not just me and Rico, there are many experienced lads. The lads who don’t play as much like Alex Baptiste, he is massive in the changing rooms for us.
“Obviously, he has played in the Premier League and he is someone we all look up to so when he speaks, we all listen. I am very proud."
Jones was one of Evatt’s first signings at Bolton and has made the transition to League One football look relatively comfortable in 27 appearances so far.
“I have played in League One and a few games in the Championship, so I know the league it is all about,” he said of spells at Barnsley and Fleetwood. “When I did play in League One in the past, it wasn’t as consistent as it has been at Bolton.
“I have worked hard on my game over the last few years and that is one thing I wanted to get into my game more, being consistent.
“Every game and in training, working hard. I have found it okay and I think a lot of the lads have found it alright. We have played in very big games this year as a young squad, and we have done alright as a team."
And Jones says he is not finished there. Wanderers look set for a top half finish after their return to the third tier but next season will be pulling out all the stops to secure promotion.
Jones is proud of how far he and the club has come.
“When I first signed the deal here, just to be here was a very proud moment because it is such a big club,” he said. “The squad has rotated quite a bit, there have been a lot of ins and outs. To still be part of this squad and what we want to achieve and how we want to move forwards - to get into the Championship and hopefully one day the Premier League – I’m very proud to still be involved."
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