GEORGE Johnston wants to put his personal future with Wanderers aside and concentrate on helping the club get promotion.
The long-serving defender is closing in on 200 appearances for Bolton since signing in June 2021 and has played more minutes than any other player in Steven Schumacher’s squad this season.
Johnston – along with Jordi Osei-Tutu and Kyle Dempsey – is out of contract in the summer but he says discussions have been put on to the back burner to allow him to concentrate on what he feels is most important.
“I am just one of those guys that can put that to the back of the mind and focus on the next game and trying to get this club back into the Championship.
“For the last 10 games, whether it's 10 or 13 games, that will be my goal and my only drive.
“I genuinely don't even think about it. People ask me questions most days but, you know, it's just something that I'll think about come the end of the season.”
Johnston has been virtually ever-present for Wanderers in the league, racking up more than 3,000 minutes on the pitch. He has also racked up more passes than any other player in the division.
“I’m quite happy with that,” Johnston told The Bolton News. “It means I’m comfortable with the ball.
“We’re a team that handles the ball well and it’s nice to know I’m trusted with it, comfortable with it.
“And playing as many minutes as I have, it’s something I look at and take pride in because of my injury period when I was out, I missed a whole season, so being able to get top of the stats shows how consistent I've been and, you know, touch wood injury-free this season.”
Wanderers head to Rotherham this lunchtime looking to beat the Millers on their own turf for the first time since August 1966.
Whether Millmoor or the New York Stadium, the town has proven a bogey venue for Bolton in the last 20 visits, spread over 60 years.
Johnston is expecting a big test against a side that is fighting for survival at the wrong end of the table.
“It’s always a tough place to go,” he said. “I think the first time I went there they were top of the league, it was New Year’s Day and we were down the other end of the table.
“They make it hard for you as it is a tight pitch. They ask questions, they defend in numbers and then when they attack, they're quite physical.
“it has always been like that at Rotherham but hopefully we'll go there and get the three points.”
Standing in Wanderers’ favour is the fact they are 11 games unbeaten and in possession of one of League One’s best defensive records.
“I don't think the lads get as much credit as they deserve for that, really,” he added. “We have been really good, really tight as a unit. I think over the past few weeks, we've not got as many clean sheets as we'd like.
“But, you know, I think we're still second in the table for goals against and we know areas we want to improve, keep driving the standards in training and hopefully that relates to the match days as well.”
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