STATISTICS can't always be relied on to tell the full story but a dozen yellow cards in 30 games last season is a prominent feature of Jamie Fullarton's soccer CV. "Yes, you can say I put my foot in," the new Wanderer admits, "sometimes a bit too much. Don't get me wrong, there's no malice. It just comes natural.

"It's the way I play; the minimum you can expect from me is hard work, 100 per cent."

The 24-year-old Scot may not win too many style marks from the purists but he sounds just what Wanderers need at the moment; in fact, just what they've needed for some time - a player who can put some steel into the midfield.

Supporters can decide for themselves tomorrow when Fullarton and fellow newcomer Steve Banks are expected to make their debuts at Oxford. Colin Todd refused to reveal his plans for the Manor Ground test as he waited for fitness verdicts on Scott Sellars and Claus Jensen but there have been clues aplenty. The manager has promised changes, spoken of the need for a higher workrate, for his players to show their battling qualities and has made it clear that he didn't make two deadline day signings just for the sake of it.

Banks, for instance, had been earmarked for a summer move to the Reebok and, although the Fullarton deal was rushed through with just 15 minutes to spare, it transpires that he had been a target six weeks earlier but Crystal Palace had refused to let him go.

"I got a phone call from Mr Goldberg (the Palace chairman) at 1.30 last Thursday, telling me that Bolton had been trying to sort something out for a few weeks," the former Scotland U-21 skipper explained.

"Suddenly everything was on. I had two or three hours to decide whether I wanted to come to Bolton but I could have had two or three weeks . . . the answer would have been the same. "I know Paul Warhurst well, of course, from being with him at Palace. He made the same move a few months ago so I phoned him to ask about Bolton. The decision had to be mine but the things Paul told me were very encouraging. He recommended me to come here."

Like Warhurst, Fullarton hopes his loan, which would cover the play-offs if necessary, can become a permanent arrangement.

"That obviously depends on how things go while I'm here," says the Tarten terrier. "Hopefully I'll have an effect on the team and do myself and Bolton a favour. Whether the gaffer wants to take it to the next step and keep me long term depends on how things go between now and the end of the season.

"All I'm hoping for at the moment is to show what I can do in the next four or five games. Bolton should be in the Premier League because they've got so many quality players here. I thought they looked comfortable in that company last season and, although they sold Alan Thompson in the summer after they went down, there's still a lot of quality here. "In fact everything about the place is quality. The training is hard but it's done properly and the players are very bubbly. They seem focused too."

However, the fact that the manager chose to rush through two new signings before the transfer deadline proves that all is not well. Jussi Jaaskelainen's confidence has dipped to such an extent that he was happy to pay £50,000 for a goalkeeper he could have signed for nothing in a few weeks while things had deteriorated to such an extent in midfield that he was crying out for a combative player who could add leadership and organisational qualities.

"Talking and taking responsibility is part and parcel of the game," Fullarton explains, as if he takes such traits for granted.

"It's irrelevant who wears the armband. You need 11 captains out there. If you're organised and everyone is prepared to accept responsibility, it makes it easier for the team." Having committed himself heart and soul to the Bolton cause, Fullarton had special reason to cheer his Palace pals' victory over Bradford on Sunday.

"That was a great win from our point of view," he said, showing his true Wanderers' colours. "I was worried that, being without six players (deadline day saw five others fly the Eagles nest) , Palace might struggle.

"The boys did us a favour."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.