DAVID Wheater reckons Gary Madine might struggle to reclaim his unsung hero tag at Wanderers after winning over the boo-boys.

The striker – who has certainly endured his ups and downs at the Macron – claimed the December PFA Fans’ player of the month award last week.

He also got a celebrity endorsement as Geordie Shore reality TV star Marnie Simpson sent out a message to her 936,000 followers to back Madine to win.

She wrote: “Please everyone vote for my good pal Gary for player of the month, he deserves it. Really want him to win!”

He romped home ahead of Sheffield United’s Billy Sharp, Millwall’s Steve Morison, Rochdale’s Ian Henderson, Southend United’s Simon Cox and Peterborough United’s Tom Nicholls, amassing more than 11,000 votes.

He followed that up by taking the club’s in-house award, voted for by the Whites fans.

Wheater is glad to see Madine’s graft recognised and hopes he can continue to win over any lingering doubters at the Macron.

“I always say he’s an unsung hero,” he told The Bolton News. “But I can’t say he’s under-appreciated now he’s won that award, can I?

“He is our first line of defence and does a lot of the ugly stuff, holding the ball up. It’s good to see him get something, he deserves it.

“I think it would help having Geordie Shore mates on Twitter, though.”

Wheater missed out a bit of individual glory with the SkyBet player of the month award, which eventually went to Rochdale’s Matty Lund.

“I was robbed, wasn’t I?” he joked. “It doesn’t really matter – and I think Gaz would say the same thing. You get these awards or nominations because the team is playing well. We just hope that continues.”

The next week will be a stern test for Phil Parkinson’s squad, as a home game against a much-changed Swindon team is followed by lengthy journeys to Crystal Palace and Southend United.

There would have been a time when Wheater’s conditioning to play in all three games came into question. But the big defender is more comfortable these days in his own body, conquering some of the injury problems which proved so frustrating earlier in his Wanderers career with the help of the medical staff at the club.

Besides, two nights in a pre-match hotel seems quite appealing to a father with two young children, and presumably a very understanding wife!

“I don’t have a problem with those trips – for players with kids it’s the only chance we get to have a lie-in,” he laughed.

“They look after us in the hotels and that, the food is great, so what have we got to complain about?

“I feel fine at the moment. If I’d found out what the issue was with my insoles earlier in my career I’d be sitting here on 500-600 appearances but I feel fine.

“Even in that Checkatrade Trophy earlier in the season the manager spoke to me in the build-up to see whether I actually needed another 90 minutes but I was well up for playing.

“You’ll get games where he’ll make decisions for the good of the team and the squad appreciates that but in general the lads, including me, want to play every game.”

Beyond Swindon lies an FA Cup trip to Selhurst Park, the winner of which faces Manchester City at home in round four.

Wheater does not think the players will be distracted by either opponent before the Robins’ visit on Saturday but is still looking forward to locking horns with a couple of top Premier League strikers again.

“It isn’t going to affect preparation for Swindon, I don’t think the manager will let that happen, but it’s there,” he said.

“It might have been nice to play back at an Old Trafford or the Etihad maybe but I read the chairman’s quotes about it possibly being a sell-out, so that would be great to see at the Macron.

“We’ve got to get past Palace first, but to be honest I thought we should have won the first game. There isn’t that much they can bring back – maybe Christian Benteke – but I think we can still go down there and get a result.

“After that it’s Sergio Aguero. So no problem, really.”