MAYBE the best thing that Bolton Wanderers fans can do to Dion Charles at Wembley would be to write off his chances of being a matchwinner?

With 20 goals for club and country this season, the striker has seen his season build towards a crescendo – and there is still time for it to get better yet.

It is strange now to think but for the first few months of the campaign the lack of goals in Ian Evatt’s attack was being highlighted on a regular basis. Charles admits himself that some chances went begging that would have got him off to a faster start.

But under-estimate the Northern Ireland international at your peril, and he will be heading to Wembley looking to show how far he has progressed in 14 months with Wanderers.

“It might sound a bit cliché but form is temporary, class is permanent,” he grinned. “I’m not saying I’m class but I have always backed myself to score goals wherever I have played.

“I had a bit of a slow start to the season and maybe didn’t get as many goals as I should have got but we are all human, we have dips in form, and I just like proving people wrong.

“I said when I came here that I will prove a few wrong, and I think I am doing it. I was brought here to score goals and I am on the right end of it now, I feel like I am a better player than I was when I signed with Bolton.

“I pride myself on being confident in my own ability. To come from where I have been in my career I have had to work hard, and it gives you a bit of fulfilment when you prove people wrong.”

Charles, released by Blackpool as a teenager, had to work his way up through spells with coastal clubs AFC Fylde, Southport and Fleetwood before finally making it inland with Accrington a couple of years ago.

“I had a few people tell me ‘no, you’re not good enough’ along the way and they will be kicking themselves now,” he said.

“The pinnacle for me will be to play at Wembley in a cup final, my family in the stand – my children, my girlfriend – it will be a brilliant occasion.”