KEVIN Davies has suffered his fair share of heartbreak this season – but he reckons just one glance at the league table brings a smile back to his face.

In the last 12 months, the skipper has seen the elation of an international call-up tempered by exclusion from Fabio Capello’s subsequent squads, and a confidence-shattering defeat in the FA Cup semi-final avenged with a memorable win against Arsenal at the Reebok.

And while his rollercoaster season may seem tough to handle, Davies admits the stresses have been nothing compared to the relegation battles he has experienced in the last few seasons with Wanderers.

“I was speaking to a few of the lads and staff coming back from Fulham and thinking about where we had been at this stage of the season over the last few years, sweating on the last two games,” he told The Bolton News.

“It’s a horrible feeling to look up at the table and having to figure out which team is playing which, and who will pick up points.

“Everyone was disappointed with how things went at Wembley but that’s proper pressure. It’s terrible to be playing under those circumstances for the last few games, so to have our points tally at the moment is a great feeling.”

It seems likely that Wanderers are in for a summer of change with several first team players coming to the end of their current deals and question marks over the future of prized defensive asset Gary Cahill.

“I think it’s an exciting time,” Davies said. “I just feel that the club is in a good place right now. We’ve got that bit of stability we haven’t had in the last few years and the backing we’ve had from the fans has been amazing.”