GILES Coke has set out his personal aim for the last eight games of the season: Try and win a contract at Wanderers.

The on-loan midfielder makes no secret of the fact he is out to impress Neil Lennon as he wrote off his chances of earning a new deal at his parent club Sheffield Wednesday.

Coke was a regular for the Owls up until an Achilles injury in November, which ruled him out of action completely for three months.

By the time he returned Stuart Gray had built a settled side, leaving him looking elsewhere for football.

Now the 28-year-old, who has grafted his way from non-league Kingstonian through Mansfield, Northampton, Motherwell and Bury, is determined not to let the biggest chance of his footballing career slip through his grasp.

“This is the biggest club I’ve played for,” he told The Bolton News. “I’m honoured to be here.

“With my contract up in the summer every single game from now to the end of the season is important.

“I’ve got to perform for Bolton and there’s pressure on me. But every footballer has some type of pressure on his shoulders and I’m confident I can do it.”

Coke has made close to 100 appearances for Wednesday in what has been a stop-start spell at Hillsborough, stretching over five years.

Valued by some managers but sidelined by others, he spent time out on loan at Bury and Swindon before finally cementing a place in Gray’s midfield last season.

“I thought it was going fine until I got the injury,” he said. “I was playing and then ended up on the sidelines. It’s the worst thing in football because you’re giving someone else an opportunity to do well.

“I have to say when Bolton came in for me I was absolutely delighted. It was a massive chance for me.

“Who knows what my future is now. I’m up in the summer.

“All I can give is 100 per cent, and with eight games left I’d love to help the club get on a little run.”

Coke appeared in the second half during the 2-0 win over Millwall last weekend and then played 90 minutes at Ipswich in midweek as Lennon’s side lost out to a late strike from Jay Tabb – a result which has been symptomatic of Wanderers’ performances away from home of late.

“The boys were so disappointed in that dressing room but that’s football, if you don’ take your chances then the other team is always going to get one chance,” Coke said.

“Mentally, it’s really frustrating but we need to be stronger. We need to concentrate harder.

“I don’t think we played badly at all at Ipswich. I don’t think we deserved what we got.”

As one of a raft of loanees in Lennon’s squad, Coke has been forced to blend quickly with the Wanderers dressing room in an effort to see the club over the line to safety.

But the Westminster-born midfielder expects Lennon to avoid any such worries next season.

“As a team, this is Bolton Wanderers, we should be fighting for the play-offs, for automatic promotion.

“Obviously, this season is about making sure we’ll stay in this division and then next year we need to kick on and get up that table. A club of this size shouldn’t be where we are.

“The injuries have been unbelievable but I don’t think you can use the number of loans as an excuse. We’re professional footballers so when you get given a set of instructions you should be able to go out there and execute them.

“You could say it takes time to gel but I wouldn’t say that – there are enough good players in this team to be doing a better job.

“I’m not happy sitting safe in 18th position. The gaffer wants us to push on and why not? If you can take momentum into next season then maybe we start the season a bit brighter.”

Bury fans will recall Coke’s 30 appearances in two loan spells with fondness, as he became a popular figure on the terraces during their fight against relegation from League One.

But one incident sticks in the mind of Shakers fans when you mention his name – a bizarre row with Steven Schumacher, then Bury captain, over who would take a penalty against Yeovil.

The wrestling contest turned into an internet sensation, earned both players a yellow card, and made for many an interesting headline.

Coke can laugh about it now.

“I enjoyed my time at Bury,” he said. “I’m sure everyone knows about the penalty – I admitted I was in the wrong on that one but we’ve moved on.”