Article: Steve Garland
Having turned around a career that was in danger of falling off the rails since arriving in the Welsh capital, Jay Bothroyd has admitted that he would now like nothing more than a return to the Premier League with Cardiff City this season.
With eleven goals and as many assists in all competitions so far, the City front man has played his part in the Bluebirds play-off push with one of his best career campaigns. But with just three points needed to secure a play-off berth, Jay admitted that all he is chasing now is promotion.
"All I want to do is achieve promotion with Cardiff and I think both the fans and club deserve it and we all want to move in that direction. As a player you want to play at the highest level week in week out, and we have had tasters this season in the Cup's against Aston Villa and Chelsea and those are the kind of teams and players you want to play against."
But the stand in City skipper did admit that he was pleased with his personal role in the teams play-off push and said: "I am happy with my season so far. I'm a target man, I bring other players into the game and am not an out and out goalscorer, but I get my fair share and have also brought plenty of assists this year as well, which I think is just as important.That is what I concentrate on, just being effective in every game and I'm really enjoying it.
Jay's arrival at Ninian Park last season raised the eyebrows of many in South Wales, given his unwanted tag of 'untapped ability' placed on him from his unsuccessful spells with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers.
But Bothroyd admitted a move to Cardiff and to Dave Jones' outfit was just what he needed to get his career back on track: "I got to that stage in my life where I got tired of being just ability and people saying 'he's got talent but... etc,' and I wanted to put that more into effect and be consistent.
"The manager said to me as soon as I walked through the door at Cardiff, that he would give me the stage and it was down to me to perform on it and that is what I wanted to do. I just wanted to say to myself that I want to be consistent and wanted to be indispensable and I'd like to think that I've done that. The job is not done, every day I go into training wanting to get better and better so eventually at some stage I can play at the highest level again."
Promotion would also see Bothroyd face off against his former club Arsenal again next season, a club which he still holds close to his heart having risen through the youth ranks in North London.
The full interview with Jay is on Player
Regarded as a 'highly promising young talent' by Arsenal at the time, Bothroyd would seal his early exit from the Gunners with a moment of petulance, in an under-19 final against West Ham United.
But despite quite literally throwing away his chance with the Gunners, it is a period Jay insists he could only have learned from, saying: "I don't regret my decision to start out there and loved every minute of it. Obviously as a kid, I was a bit immature and didn't realise what I had and made a massive mistake but I've moved on from that. I was a boy then and a man now and you have to learn from everything that happens in your life and your career and I think I've done that."
And Jay will return to London this Saturday to take on Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road, looking for the three points needed to secure that play-off berth. But the City target man warned Neil Warnock's men that the team were not taking their position for granted like last season.
"We're not taking our foot off the pedal and there wont be anyone talking about going on holiday's like last year. We are fully focused on each game as it comes and hopefully we can get the club to the Premiership and give the club its glory.
"We have had tough games against Leicester, Swansea and Forest recently and we've put in really good performances and got the right results. We are firmly in the play-off's at the moment so hopefully we can carry on this form that we have got and get into the play-off's."
