Lynch On First Team Experience

Academy graduate on how his recent time training with the first team squad can stand him in good stead

Goalkeeper Jay Lynch has expressed his joy at being involved with Wanderers’ first team, after recently filling in as back-up to Adam Bogdan following an injury to Andy Lonergan.

The academy graduate is no stranger to the first team squad, having trained up at Euxton on a full-time basis since midway through last season.

The 19-year-old is yet to make a competitive appearance for the senior side, but believes his recent experiences over the last couple of seasons can only stand him in good stead.

“At the drop of the hat everything can change and you’ve got to be ready to go on,” Lynch explained, when asked about his recent stints on the substitutes’ bench. “When we were away at Wolves last month Adam was struggling with his shoulder and I started to warm up. I was expecting the nerves to kick in at that point but I was a bit shocked at how calm I was.

“But being in the first team squad and being named as a sub is massive for a 19-year-old goalkeeper, especially when goalkeepers traditionally mature a bit later.

“I started training with the first team part-way through last season and the training is great because goalkeepers feed off each other. We’re lucky at Bolton in that there are some fantastic goalkeepers. Adam’s a fantastic ‘keeper, then there’s Andy Lonergan and Rob Lainton as well, so competition for places is great.

“All of the goalkeepers help one another. That is important for me because I still have a lot to learn, but when you’re training with these guys regularly you can only improve.

“I grew up watching Peter Schmeichel but now I tend to look to the ‘keepers who are slightly smaller, but more agile keepers, like Pepe Reina, Iker Casillas and Victor Valdes. I try to model myself on them because I’m not blessed with great height so I know I have to work on other areas of my game, such as my agility to keep the ball out the net.”
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