Matt Mills speaks to the official website after joining Bolton Wanderers on a three-year deal
Matt Mills is looking to hit the ground running after it was announced on Wednesday that the defender had moved to the Reebok Stadium on a three-year deal.
Wanderers have acted swiftly in the summer transfer window, meaning that the 25-year-old will get the opportunity to link-up with his new team-mates on the first day of pre-season training.
The squad report back to Euxton on Thursday morning following their close-season break.
"It's important that when you move clubs and into a new area that you get the chance to interact with your new team-mates straight away," Mills told the official website.
"They get to know you and you get to know them and that provides a good base going into the new season.
"I know a lot of the lads here already through playing against them over past seasons. There is an excellent squad with a lot of quality.
"This deal has worked out perfectly for me, mainly because Bolton are a fantastic club.
"Speaking to the manager, I have got the vibe of what the place and club is about and the ambitions of getting back into the Premier League.
"The facilities are made for the top division and that's obviously the aim this season - to bounce back straight away.
"To be honest, this area is the one I feel most comfortable living in too, so geographically it's perfect.
"I've got friends around here so I believe I'll settle in very quickly and be able to concentrate on my football."
Mills knows the Championship inside-out having played his football in that division for the last four seasons.
He has represented Doncaster Rovers, Reading and Leicester City in that time, wearing the captain's armband whilst with the Royals and the Foxes.
Although the former England Under-19 international warns that a challenging season lies ahead, he is confident that Wanderers will be up at the summit pushing for an instant return to the Premier League.
Mills added: "Obviously the Championship is a very difficult league, as everyone who has played there will tell you. There are no given games in this division.
"In the Premier League, the top six can more or less pick themselves season-on-season, but in the Championship there are a lot of teams who will expect to do well.
"It's all about trying to get that consistency, going from Saturday to Tuesday to Saturday to Tuesday. There are a lot of games and there will be ups and downs.
"It's going to be a marathon and not a sprint and Reading showed what is possible last season because they got promoted after being mid-table just before Christmas.
"Saying that, it does help getting off to a good start and if the boys go out there and give 100 percent and the fans get behind the team, I'm predicting that it will be a successful and enjoyable season."