Bolton Wanderers chief calls on 'positivity' from supporters

With 16 games to go, Steven Schumacher’s side will attempt to rein-in second-placed Lincoln City and get themselves into the automatic promotion spots.

Sporting director Fergal Harkin feels the squad is well-equipped to meet their target after a busy January window, but he believes it will be a team effort from here on in at the Toughsheet, on and off the pitch.

“I’m really, really excited about the last few months of the season now, really positive about what’s to come,” he told The Bolton News.

“We played some games before Christmas where we played well and didn’t get the results, and we played some since Christmas where, let’s be honest, we haven’t played our best football at times but we have managed to dig out the result.

“If we can combine the two over the next 16 games, that’s the ultimate aim. You want to play good football, of course, keep people entertained but we also know the points have got to come regardless.

“I saw it yesterday with the new players in at the training ground, the excitement, the energy.

“Everyone knows that we have a big 16 games ahead of us, but if we can get the players and the fans and everyone behind it being positive, then let's see what happens.”

The atmosphere at the Toughsheet has been a changeable one over the last couple of months with some people voicing their unhappiness with the quality of the product on the pitch.

Harkin hopes a handful of exciting new signings can add some impetus, and he believes the supporters also have a big role to play in any potential success.

“There’s no time now to settle in, it’s the business end of the season now and we need to perform, we need to get those results,” he said.

“Will we win all 16 games? No. I'd be very surprised if we do because very few teams do, so there will be some ups and downs. The important thing is we all stick together and give the players the support that they need over the next 16 games because they are such a determined, hard-working group.

“The energy that we can create in the stadium, and the positivity will go a long, long way.”

Steven Schumacher is also optimistic that new signings can add a little spark after a gruelling January.

“We are not perfect, we're not the finished article, but I think we've had a really good start to the season,” he said. “We came through the Christmas period, December and January, which historically are always the most difficult times of year. We had the Christmas schedule, where this year in particular it was four games in nine days, then we play four games in eight days, then we play nine games in January.

“But if you look at our record through the whole of December and January, we're fourth in the league for points taken, so we haven't played unbelievable football, but we're fourth in the league because we've managed to grind out results. 

“At the start of the season, when we were playing exciting football and really good on the eye, it was brilliant, and then players are still here, so we've got to hope that that confidence can come back, the support stays with us.

“However you think we’ve played, we still keep getting points, which is what's going to get you promoted.”