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Conor Bradley reckons Wanderers can thrive on the lush green turf and wide open spaces of Wembley – but only if they are ready to do the ugly stuff first.
The Northern Ireland international believes a specious playing surface in Sunday’s Papa Johns Trophy final should allow both Bolton and Plymouth to play their natural expansive game.
Wembley’s pitch is 115x74 yards, which is marginally bigger than Plymouth’s Home Park (112x73) and the UniBol (110x72), with a playing surface which hosted international football on Sunday when England took on Ukraine.
But while the surroundings may suit the way Bolton want to play, Bradley is mindful that they have taken just one point off the Pilgrims this season and have failed to score on both occasions. Getting the basics done correctly, he points out, will be just as important.
“The big pitch will definitely help us,” he told The Bolton News. “We should be able to play our style of football, good attacking stuff, but you have to win your battles and earn the right to play.
“Plymouth have had a great season up the top and we have had two very close games with them, so we know it will be a hard game. You don’t just turn up and win. But the lads are buzzing about it, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Bradley has never played at Wembley and with close to 34,000 tickets sold for the game, no Bolton player will have played in front of so many of their own club’s fans.
Coming nearly four years after Wanderers were put into administration, a process which eventually drove the club to the point of extinction, the young defender recognises what the final will mean to many of those travelling down to the capital.
“I know the struggles that this place has been through, especially the fanbase who nearly lost the club, but hopefully now we are on the way back up now,” he said. “I hope everyone enjoys the trip to Wembley and that they can celebrate a win at the end of it.
“I’ve never played there but I can’t wait, to be honest.
“I’ll just try and do the same things, just try and treat it like it was an ordinary game.
“You can’t play the big crowd or the big occasion, you just have to play our football and hopefully that gets you through.”
Bradley still has high hopes that Wanderers could return to Wembley in the play-offs, with eight games still to play in League One after Sunday.
He has been pleased with his season on loan with Wanderers to date but desperately wants to finish it on a high.
“There have been a few bumps in the road here and there but it has been a pretty good experience overall and we’ve done well,” he said.
“I’ve definitely grown up as a player here and people around me have been brilliant, people like Geth (Jones) who have helped me mature and understand the game. I’m really thankful for that, and the gaffer, who has helped me loads. It is exactly what I wanted.
“I just want to keep that going for the rest of the season now and hopefully get that win at Wembley to top it off. Winning a trophy here would be fantastic.”
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