Towering Bolton Wanderers centre-half Zat Knight insists the Trotters must get over the heartbreak of missing out on the Championship play-offs and kick on next season.
Wanderers’ final day draw at home to Blackpool, coupled with Leicester City’s win over Nottingham Forest, meant they missed out on a play-off berth on goal difference.
But 33-year-old Knight – Bolton’s leading appearance-maker last season – believes the Whites must forget the disappointment of a week ago and build on their recent positive form next season.
“Last season has gone now, we enjoyed a good three months towards the end of the season, but we don’t want to look back, only forward,” he told Bolton’s official website.
“I would like to thank the fans, they have been great. They came out in force on Saturday, and we have shown that we can stay together as a club.
“If we can re-enact those last three months with the manager, get a good pre-season under our belts then I believe we can reach our goal next season.”
Bolton went on a nine-game unbeaten run in February, which saw them climb from 20th in the table to play-off contenders under boss Dougie Freedman.
Wanderers’ Reebok Stadium form was crucial to mounting a promotion charge and they ended the season with the second best home record, behind champions Cardiff City.
Bolton have also announced that seven of their academy players will leave the club when their contracts expire at the end of June.
Adam Blakeman, Jack Sampson, Alex McQuade, Joe McKee, Lewis Fielding, Ben Hampson and Ben Dennis will all depart, as Freedman continues to mould Wanderers’ squad.
Blakeman, 21, is the only one to have made a Bolton first team appearance as a substitute in a League Cup tie with Macclesfield Town in August 2011.
Image courtesy of BWFCOfficial, via YouTube, with thanks.
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