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Dion Charles wants to fire Wanderers into the play-offs and then prove he can score goals at Championship level.
After becoming the first Bolton player to hit 20 goals in a season since Michael Ricketts in 2001, the Northern Ireland international says the milestone is only the first of many in his sights for the Whites.
Charles scored the only goal of the game at Oxford United on Saturday as Ian Evatt’s side leapt into fifth spot in League One. They now hold a two-point advantage on seventh-placed Derby County, with a game in hand.
With promotion still a possibility at the UniBol, Charles is relishing the prosect that he could yet be testing himself at a higher level next season.
“I’d back myself to score goals at any level. I got two for Northern Ireland the other day and if you give me the chances I’ll show you what I can do,” he told The Bolton News.
“I can definitely get better. I analyse my game a lot, try and work on things every day to improve and be as best as I can.
“The gaffer is brilliant with me and all the players in there. I think once you are happy with where you are, stand still, you can get into a comfort zone. I won’t do that. I have my own targets and if we can get to the Championship then I’ll go again.”
No Bolton player has hit the 20-goal mark since Ricketts did so for Sam Allardyce’s Premier League-bound side in 22 years ago – including famous names like Kevin Davies, El-Hadji Diouf and Nicolas Anelka.
“In fairness they did it in the Premier League,” smiled Charles. “It’s brilliant to be mentioned in that group and hopefully one day I’ll get to the chance to score at that level but, for now, it’s focus on the next game and try to get into the play-offs.
“But I am never happy, I always want to strive and get more, I want to set a target now where nobody is going to catch me for another 20 years!”
Wanderers have been hit with a raft of injuries in the run-in, with Kieran Lee and Luke Mbete joining Eoin Toal, Ricardo Santos, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, Jack Iredale and Lloyd Isgrove this week.
Charles still feels confident that the remaining players can see the club over the finishing line for a play-off spot, a fight which continues on Tuesday night at Burton Albion.
“We have a very talented squad in there and champing at the bit to get an opportunity,” he said. “Some of them have come in and done unbelievably, like MJ at centre-half, he was incredible.
“Dan (Nlundulu) has been waiting for his chance and I think he was brilliant when he came on the other week. Some of his hold up play is great and it makes my game easier.
“If lads come in and take their chance like that it will only help us.”
And Charles is quick to acknowledge the role his team-mates have had in his own scoring exploits this season a Bolon.
“I’ll get all the plaudits but it is a team sport and if I hadn’t got the lads giving me the opportunities, I’d never have got the goals I have scored. That’s 20 goals ticked off, now it’s hopefully 25,” he added.
“It’s the business end of the season now. We have got a target of the play-offs and we’ll always work hard to try and cement that, hopefully to get another trip to Wembley.”
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