GEORGE Johnston hasn’t been short of personal accolades since signing for Bolton – but now he wants to achieve something special as a team.

Collecting Wanderers’ young player of the year last season and shortlisted along with Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott, Manchester City’s James McAtee, Everton’s Anthony Gordon among others for the 2022 North West Football Awards Rising Star prize, Johnston has already proved a canny bit of business for the Whites.

The former Feyenoord man believes he can get better, however, and is keen to see Bolton push further up the league ladder too.

“I was delighted to get the award last season,” he said. “It was the most games I had played in a season and I’d learned so much, “It was massive for my development, playing that many games. I learned so much that I wanted to take into this season.

“It was great to get the nomination in the North West awards as well alongside some really good players but, for me, it is about looking forward now.

“I think I am young enough to keep improving. I’ll keep pushing and keep working on the things I need to and hopefully I will progress myself and the club.

“I really want to push this season and help the club go as far as it can.”

Wanderers have made a solid start, with 17 points from their first nine games, and return to competitive action after the international break with a home game against Lincoln City on Saturday.

Johnston, Conor Bradley, Gethin Jones and James Trafford are the only players to have featured in every league game so far but Ian Evatt’s squad rotation policy is likely to mean plenty of chopping and changing next month as Bolton face eight games in October.

“We have got a really good squad, there are at least two players in each position now,” says Johnston, who believes Bolton can handle the workload.

“It isn’t like the other teams I have started in where there is a set XI.

“Depending on who we are coming up against, what threats the opposition have, the manager can pick different teams.

“So, if you are not in the team it isn’t personal. It is just that the gaffer trusts the team he puts out there can do the job that day. Everyone understands that.”

Speaking to the club programme, Johnston also looked back at the win against Charlton Athletic earlier in the month, where his early mistake had cost a goal – recovered by scoring one of his own at the other end in a 3-1 win.

“I think I should have done a lot better for their goal,” he said. “I back the team to get me out of trouble and it was a really good performance that day.

“I love scoring. I don’t get many but when I do it is an unbelievable feeling - especially at home in front of the crowd and the roar that you get. It’s just massive.”