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Kyle Dempsey is embracing the competition for places at Wanderers and says he thrives under pressure.
The midfielder bagged a brace either side of half-time in the 3-0 win against Wycombe at the weekend.
The Whites had the likes of Kieran Lee and George Thomason on the bench against the Chairboys and Josh Sheehan is also nearing a return after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
“You know you have got to perform at the highest of your game to keep your shirt,” said Dempsey. “I am one of those who likes that pressure.
“I sort of play better when there is that added pressure, and I think the team will play a lot better knowing if you start having an off couple of weeks, you will probably come out of the team.
“Josh coming back now - he looks a top, quality player. I have played against him before and he adds to the strength that we have got. That is what we need.
“We need everyone this season, especially Christmas time and towards the back end of the year. You play a lot of games and you have got to rotate squads like the top teams do.”
Dempsey has had plenty of injury frustrations in his early Bolton career, including a knock that kept him out against Ipswich on the opening day.
He added: “I do a lot of work with a sports psychologist and he just said the more that you think negatively, the more negative things are going to happen.
“Even if it is a tiny bit of positivity, you have got to take that and just keep using that and that is what I did. I stayed positive and thought if (the knock) is bad, I will just get myself fit and push again.
“But luckily for me, it wasn’t as bad as I thought and I had a really good week on the grass and then an even better day [against Wycombe].
“When I came back from my knee operation, I never felt like I was back to full fitness and where I want to be.
“I think you have seen with the runs that I make, even when it was the 85th or 86th minute, I am still bursting down to the corner.
“That is the energy and fitness I have and, as long as I can keep myself fit, I will continue to do that all season.”
Wanderers have made a positive start to the new season, picking up four points from two tough fixtures on paper, but Dempsey isn’t getting carried away.
“We take every game as it comes,” he explained. “We will be back on the pitch on Monday and we will be focusing on the game Tuesday, and then the league on Saturday.
“We concentrate on doing the best that we can do and implementing our gameplan. Then we feel confident that we can take the points.”
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