BY common consent, Paul Warhurst is considered the most talented player in the Wanderers' squad.

Mike Whitlow - the all-seeing, all-knowing sage of the Reebok dressing room - makes no bones about it: "When Paul Warhurst plays, we rarely lose."

The only snag is that the much-travelled defender is all too often unavailable. His fitness record in recent seasons has been as frustrating for his managers as it has been worrying for himself.

But the optimistic Warhurst reckons all that could be about to change.

"My goal for next season is to play in every game," he says with equal measures of optimism and confidence.

Purely in terms of the number of games played, Warhurst had his best season in Bolton colours last season and he is convinced that, with the combination of his own determination and the new scientific approach of the club's medical team, he can go even better.

"The problem with me is that I had quite a bit of trouble with my hamstrings and I think for the last 18 months I've worked hard on them, keeping the strength and the flexibility," he explained.

"I worked on it all through the season and, hopefully, I can keep that going this season and have no more problems.

"My aim is to play in every game and do the best I can. I'm still only 32 and keep myself fit and trim. I felt very good last season when I was playing. Obviously I had the break after the New Year when I picked up the injury, which was unfortunate, but with a bit of luck I'll get a lot more games in. I had a really good season - last pre-season was one of my best and I think it was the first time they had changed the programme.

"I certainly noticed the difference. In the games I played up to and after Christmas, I felt great and we were playing a lot of games at that time too - four games in eight games over Christmas! So things are changing for the good. It certainly suited me, the way I want to train, and I'm sure the young lads here will benefit from that as well. It's good training, getting you fit without killing you."

Warhurst is as optimistic about Wanderers' prospects as he is confident of his own fitness.

"We did well last season and, hopefully, we can do even better," he suggests. "We've got a good enough squad to do better than we did last season. At the end we were lucky to stay up but, if we can get a good start like we did last time and maintain it, then we can build on that.

"The club is building ... the backroom staff are getting better and slowly it's becoming a Premiership club.

"The support here is improving all the time and this season it's gone up another level."

Few can teach Warhurst about the requirements of competing at the highest level. One of the best uncapped defenders of his generation, he knows the game inside out and his opinions command respect. He doesn't think Wanderers are all that far short of establishing themselves.

"I just think we've got to work as hard, if not harder than last season," he predicted. "Going to places like Old Trafford, Anfield and Highbury and coming away with something instead of getting battered boosted us and kept everybody going. If we can maintain the standard from the start and not have a dip, I think we can be sitting mid-table and very comfortable."

"But this time we've got to do that in the other games as well, not just the big games. Let's try to treat every game as we did the Arsenals, Liverpools and Manchester Uniteds.