Bolton Wanderers manager Keith Hill says his side will be aiming for promotion next season, regardless of what division they are playing in.
The Trotters currently find themselves rooted to the foot of the League One table with just a single point to their name, following a 12-point deduction at the start of the season for entering into administration earlier in the campaign.
Hill however, believes that the steadier footing his side now find themselves under their new owners, the Football Ventures consortium, means they can aim big for next season, and speaking to the Bolton News about those plans, the Wanderers boss revealed: “I am 100 per cent behind it because they have a clear vision and they are doing things correctly.
“It is brilliant because I can see a strategy. There is a foundation being put in place for the club, for the football, for the future.
"There’s a real ambition here from the footballing perspective – that’s from me, the staff, the owners, to bounce. Next season the ambition, whether it’s League One or League Two, is to get promoted."
Discussing the chances of such success next season, it seems that Hill feels the size of the club means that the potential and ability is there to make such a step up in division happen, as he continued: “We are trying our best to make that happen.
"Next season we want promotion, that’s the plan, our forecast. And we’re going to try and do it on the financial forecasts that are put in place this season.”
“I think the same foundation can be laid for whatever division we’re in because we’re a big club. The infrastructure should be based on your fanbase and potential commercial revenue.
“We have a stadium to service, okay, but from the fans’ perspective we should be challenging – financially and football-wise – in whatever league we’re in next season.”
Having not been in action this weekend following their elimination from the FA Cup earlier in the campaign, Bolton turn their thoughts back to more immediate league matters on Saturday afternoon, when they host AFC Wimbledon at The University of Bolton Stadium.
The Verdict
In all honesty, I can't see why Bolton shouldn't be thinking about a push for promotion next season.
When you look at some of the sides they have taken points off already in the current campaign, it certainly seems as though they are capable of competing with any side currently plying their trade in League One.
The big question may well be around whether or not they are able to keep hold of some of those players who have proven to be so important to their progress in recent months, and you feel the prospect of a promotion push could help them to do that.
Furthermore, the fact that Hill is talking about mounting such a challenge while working within their financial means suggests they have learnt from has gone before previously at the club, and will provide yet more reasons for encouragement for the club's fans going forward.