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Carlos Mendes Gomes is determined to make the most of his “fresh start” with Wanderers in League One.
The versatile attacker has made a good impression in his early appearances for Bolton since completing a move from Luton Town in the summer, toggling between the midfield and forward positions.
And though a minor hamstring injury could prevent him from playing against Reading when the Whites resume their promotion chase this weekend, the 24-year-old feels confident he has made the right decision in dropping down to League One.
“It is a fresh start for me, and I have loved it since minute one – it has been like a family here and I am also close to my own family too, so that makes everything easier,” he said.
“Everyone knows Bolton Wanderers are a big club, and everyone knows we want to play at a higher level, so hopefully we can achieve our objective at the end of the season.
“I think we have started well. It is a lovely pressure to have being in the top positions and having expectation on us to win every week if we are at home or we are away.”
Wanderers will be taking around 1,500 supporters to the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday looking to pick up where they left off before the international break with a pair of wins against Derby County and Salford City. Mendes Gomes, who scored his first goal for the club in the latter, has been struck by the size of the support since moving to Bolton and believes they can play a major part in the club’s promotion effort this season.
“I think we have the best fanbase in the league, we show that every away trip selling everything out,” he said. “We know that the expectation is there, but I think it pushes us and makes us play, we appreciate it.
“It does make pressure, but I think we have started well. The Wigan result was not us, we were not ourselves, but we know we have to be better than that.”
The former Morecambe man has been used in a variety of positions – including an unexpected cameo as a wing-back – but if he makes the squad for Reading Mendes Gomes insists he is not worried where Ian Evatt asks him to play.
“I don’t really bother about it,” he said. “I know the style of play we have is attractive, we have possession of the ball a lot and we have good players. Whether I need to help the team as a 10, eight or a nine I just try to do my job according to what position I am in because at the end of the day it is about helping the team.”
Meanwhile, Conor Carty played 11 minutes for the Republic of Ireland Under-21s in their 3-0 win against San Marino. Zac Ashworth did not feature for Wales Under-21s as they beat Lithuania 3-2.
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