Daryl Murphy admits keeping Bolton Wanderers in League One is a challenge, but a challenge he’s more than willing to face head on.
The experienced Irishman negotiated the release from his Nottingham Forest contract last month, to enable him to join Wanderers, despite their somewhat perilous position at the bottom of the second tier.
Murphy penned a short-term deal until the end of the current campaign with manager Keith Hill following the club’s takeover, joining former Forest teammates Liam Bridcutt and Jack Hobbs in Lancashire.
Thanks to a calf problem Murphy has only just returned to fitness, playing in the defeat at Portsmouth and Monday’s stalemate with Blackpool on his home debut, but despite being 17-points adrift of safety, the 36-year-old is positive about his side’s chances of giving survival a good go.
“Quality football has been played, I’ve seen plenty of chances created and that’s what I feed off,” the ex-Forest man told Wanderers.
“I think everyone looks at me as a target man but I might surprise a few people because I’m actually quite mobile.
"I will run channels and do whatever the gaffer wants me to do.
“I know I am at an age now but I have never had a problem with fitness.
“I have been lucky throughout my career with injuries, I have not had serious ones, just little niggles and I just can’t wait to get started properly because I am hoping to show everyone what I am about.”
Wanderers were hit with a points deduction following their well-documented financial troubles last season and throughout the summer prior to the club’s takeover, and with avoiding relegation looking a near-impossible task, Murphy believes the situation is one to relish, especially if the Trotters can notch up a few wins.
"It’s a challenge," said the striker who netted 13 times in his spell on the Trent.
“We are playing games and we have got a target. You have to enjoy it and relish it.
“It’s not nice being in this position and nobody wants to be there but the only thing we can do about it is win games.
“I think if we can get a few wins, especially at home, and get the fans even more behind us then the place will be buzzing.”
