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MJ Williams believes Wanderers have to be big game hunters next season if they want to gain promotion from League One.
Wanderers picked up only 13 of their 73 points this season against fellow sides in the top 10, scoring just 18 goals in 18 games – which eventually proved their undoing in the chase for a play-off spot.
Ian Evatt has admitted that narrow defeats against Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday early in the season “stuck in the craw” and Williams admits the Whites fell just short during March and April when they came up against the likes of Plymouth, Wigan, Portsmouth and Wednesday.
Looking ahead, Williams reckons the introduction of Derby, Peterborough and Barnsley after their relegation from the Championship will mean next season’s fixture list will be even tougher.
"We finished ninth this season and probably the points that we got would probably get you in the play-offs in most seasons,” he said. “But there are some really big teams in that league, and it is really important next season that we really push on now and compete against them big teams.
“We know we can. We know we have got everything here going for us - the fans, the club, it's an amazing to club to be at, the manager, Sharon the owner who has been absolutely brilliant with all of us, the staff we've got and then obviously the players.
“We've got a great group of lads there so I'm sure we'll have a good season next season if we can do that."
Positive vibes were evident last weekend as the curtain came down on the season with a 4-2 win against Fleetwood, and they continued on Sunday night at Bolton’s end of year awards.
Williams hopes that feeling can continue through the summer.
"On Saturday you could see when we are scoring goals, we were all celebrating together, the fans were right behind us now and that's the main thing,” he said. “We've just got to keep together and all the lads have said that next season is going to be a massive one for us.
“This season we probably showed what a good team we are, but it's just consistency now and getting results regularly. It is about going into the big games knowing how good we are and I'm sure we'll be right there.”
Williams missed the last game of the season after breaking a bone in his hand in the win at Cheltenham Town but he says the injury should have cleared up by the time pre-season comes along.
"It's getting better,” he said. “I've got to wear a cast for about four weeks now but I'll still be able to run and stuff like that in the off season, so I'm sure it'll recover quickly.
"To be fair, I would have played on the weekend if the season had carried on for longer, then I'd have been fine to carry on.”
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