Matt Gilks has revealed that the manner in which Bolton Wanderers won promotion to Sky Bet League One ranks as high as anything he has achieved in his professional career.
The Wanderers keeper won promotions with Blackpool and Lincoln City as well as playing in the top flight in both England and Scotland, and earned international caps, but insisted that the success of this season is special.
Gilks, who arrived at the club in the summer initially as the goalkeeper coach, kept 16 clean sheets in 35 appearances as Wanderers charged up the table from 19th position at the end of January to land in the third automatic spot on the final day of the campaign.
He said: "I think this one is a little bit more special. Being with a manager who I played with, Alex Baptiste who I'd played with as well - it means a lot to us.
"To see where the club was at the start of the season, we were recovering from what had happened and we're still sifting through that now. I'm quite lucky to know, on both sides, what is happening. It's been really difficult but we've got through it.
"We turned it around at the end of January and just haven't looked back.
"It's belief. We've got a fantastic owner in Sharon Brittan who stood by us, believed in us, backed us and we couldn't ask any more from her. She's been fantastic with the staff.
"We had a good January. We got some good players in who have made a massive difference and I'd like to think I made a contribution as well.
"It's been a massive effort, a club effort. With the climate as it is at the moment, it's been a monumental effort and days like this are what you play football for.”
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