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Dion Charles reckons George Thomason fully deserves his chance as new club captain.
Ian Evatt named the midfielder as his new skipper last weekend in a move intended to try and reduce the strain on key defender Ricardo Santos.
Charles, who scored a hat-trick in the 5-2 win against Reading, has backed his team-mate to thrive in the role.
“We see what Tommo is capable of every single day,” he said. “He is a leader, a big voice in the dressing room. I am pleased for him.
“He epitomises what it means to be a player for Bolton Wanderers, the effort he puts in day in, day out. He is the first in and last to go. It is brilliant for him.”
After three straight home games, the Whites now have a hat-trick on the road, starting with a trip to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup and continuing at Crawley and Northampton.
More than 4,000 fans will be heading to the Emirates, cheered somewhat by an improved performance, but Charles admits the criticism which the players and manager experienced in the opening few weeks did take its toll.
“We are all in this together,” he said. “No-one wants to make mistakes or play bad. We need everyone at this football club together and if we are, we will go in the right direction.
“The fans were brilliant (against Reading). That is what we need from them.
“We are not deluded, we know we haven’t got off to the best start and it felt good at the end with all the fans getting behind us. The chants going around the stadium in the last game didn’t go unnoticed and it shows how things can change quickly in football. They were all singing the gaffer’s name, and that result was for the gaffer.”
Charles hopes to play some part at Arsenal, having scored in the previous round at Shrewsbury, and is not kidding himself on how unlikely a result will be against last season’s Premier League runners-up.
“I think it’s a reward for the hard work we put in the previous rounds, getting a draw like this,” he said. “We are under no illusion, we know they are world class players but I still think it can be enjoyable.
“It’s a good day out for us players, the staff, our families and our fans.
“It will be a good test for us, we can see how far off we are from them.”
The game at Crawley on Saturday lunchtime is arguably more important to Bolton’s cause, and Charles is desperate not to let the Reading win go to waste.
“It is not a sprint, it is a marathon,” he said. “You don’t win the league in September or October, it is about where you are come May. Hopefully, that kickstarts our season.
“We know that if we put in that sort of application, create that number of chances, that we will win games and they are more enjoyable to play in as well.
“It is enjoyable for the fans to watch as well so hopefully we can continue that.”
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