Jon Dadi Bodvarsson is confident the goals will flow for Wanderers this season and is ready to play his part after signing a new deal with the Whites.
Bodvarsson confirmed his place in manager Ian Evatt’s plans by agreeing a new 12-month contract at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
The Icelander - happily recovered from the injury that ended his 2022/23 season early - will therefore continue as a key component of a strikeforce charged with spearheading Wanderers’ next League One challenge.
And Bodvarsson believes the Whites have the collective firepower available to better last term’s tally of 62 goals, which left them just short in a promotion bid which ended at the play-off semi-final stage.
“It’s a fact that, especially if you’re going to try and push for promotion, that you need to have players who are scoring goals,” said Bodvarsson, who scored eight times across all competitions before his first full season as a Wanderers’ player was curtailed in the New Year.
“I think we can score more goals this season. That happens on the training pitch. We have to work together. They talk about goalkeeper unions. There’s a striker union here as well. There’s a good morale going and everyone’s helping each other.
“This coming season everyone is going to be needed, no matter if you’re in the starting XI or on the bench or even out of the squad. That’s where the camaraderie is very important and we’ve been working on it from day one.
“You need to have confidence in yourself. I believe in myself and the other lads do as well. It’s about getting that rhythm going and the momentum. That’s how the position of a centre-forward is. You score that first goal and the second and all of a sudden it’s the catch-up effect and it just flows.
“That’s what we’re looking for. It all starts on the training ground and then you have to move it into the real deal, which is the upcoming season.
“I feel confident. The main thing for me now is getting match fitness in the pre-season friendlies and building up the confidence from there, so I will be ready for the season.”
Bodvarsson missed the final four months of last season after under-going surgery to overcome the ankle injury he suffered in January.
Wanderers brought in Victor Adeboyejo, Dan Nlundulu and Cameron Jerome in the same month to provide competition alongside top scorer Dion Charles, who became the first Bolton player in over two decades to score 20 goals in a season.
All five frontmen are now together for the first time in pre-season as part of Wanderers’ training camp in Portugal as they get the chance to have a full preparation for the up-coming campaign.
And Bodvarsson believes he's part of a bright future for the team after agreeing terms to extend his 18-month stay with the Whites, which has brought the former Millwall, Wolves and Reading man 15 goals and great popularity in a Wanderers’ shirt.
“I love it here and I feel like I owe the club. Every time I’m on the pitch I want to perform for the fans and the club itself and do my best to help the club progress further,” said the 31-year-old, who has joined Gethin Jones, Kyle Dempsey and Josh Sheehan in signing new tersm with the Whites this summer.
“I feel like there’s so much potential for the club to get higher up the tables. I feel there are good things coming on and I’m really happy to be part of that.
“I’m looking forward to hopefully having a full season fit. I feel like the team is working hard together, the camaraderie is really good and the team morale is good.
“From the first meeting on the first day, we all agreed a common goal which is we want to be up there and we want to push for promotion. That’s just a fact.
“We know with that comes added pressure but I think the group, especially from last year, has become more experienced.
“The young players are a year older as well so I feel like there are good thing ahead. But words are easy to say. Actions are harder. That’s something we need to think about.”