Young midfielder keen to impress following move to the club
Having agreed to join the club on a one-year deal following the conclusion of his contract with Southampton this summer, midfielder Andy Robinson has every belief that he can make his mark in the white of Wanderers.
Bringing the curtain down on a 13 year affiliation with the Saints, the Whites moved quickly to wrap up a deal to bring the 21-year-old to the Reebok Stadium on a permanent basis following his brief loan spell at the club last season.
Despite swapping the familiarity of St Mary’s for pastures new however, the midfielder admitted that the decision to move on was one which he had no qualms about making.
“I’m really excited to get going,” he said in an exclusive interview with bwfc.co.uk. “Obviously it’s going to be different after being at Southampton for so long, but I can’t wait for a different challenge.
“The loan spell I had up here at the back end of the last season was really important for me – even though I didn’t get too much game time, it was crucial for me to get the opportunity to train with the first team every day and get to know the manager.
“I played in a couple of games for the development squad during my time up here and even with them, I felt like I learned a lot even in a short space of time – it was demanding, but having a mentality like that makes sure that you’re prepared for the step-up to the first team.
“When we come back after the summer, it will be really easy for me as I already feel like I know everybody – I’ve got a head start of sorts which is going to help a lot.”
Set to make the move over 200 miles north of the south coast, the youngster revealed that he is relishing the opportunity to develop himself both on and off the pitch.
“This will be the first time that I’ve lived away from home too, but it’s an experience that I’m really looking forward to,” he said.
“Before I came, the manager spoke to me regarding a possible move but as soon as I heard that Bolton wanted to sign me, there was no doubt in my mind where I wanted to go.
He continued: “The move itself is a real positive for me – I’m not looking past pre-season at the moment, but I’m just determined to come back, work hard and hopefully stake my claim for a place in the first team.
“Everybody will return after the summer break keen to impress, so it is important to make sure that you perform at your best to prove your worth to the manager and I’ll be doing everything I can to show what I’m capable of.”