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It is set to be a big week for Wanderers, who face Wigan, Portsmouth and Sheffield Wednesday in the coming days.
On paper, it is a tough set of games against teams who have spent plenty of time higher up the English football pyramid.
By the end of the week, Ian Evatt’s men should have a good idea about where they are likely to finish in the League One table.
The Whites are currently 11th in the table – 11 points behind sixth-placed Sheffield Wednesday with seven games to go.
Three wins would keep their slim play-off hopes alive heading into the final stages of the season, but it is a big ask.
Evatt reckons his side’s upcoming games will give them a good indication of how far they have come since last season’s promotion from League Two, and perhaps more importantly how far they are from achieving their next step as they aim to keep climbing the divisions.
But the Bolton boss refuses to look past Wigan, who will be keen to pick up where they left off before the international break and continue to put pressure on league leaders Rotherham.
“This week particular, a very good week. Two big home games and one big away one,” he told The Bolton News.
“It will give us a benchmark to where we are at and how far we have developed and evolved as a team.
“We know that we have still got work to do. We are getting better all the time but for now we need to focus on Wigan, a real big challenge.
“They ask you a lot of questions, defensively we have to stand up to that and then make sure we impact them with our gameplan. If we can do that, we fancy ourselves against anybody.”
Wanderers will be out for revenge, having suffered a convincing 4-0 defeat when the sides met at the UniBol earlier this season.
James McClean bagged a brace, with Will Keane and Callum Lang also getting on the scoresheet for the Latics on a day to forget for the Bolton faithful.
The Whites also lost on penalties when the sides met in the Carabao Cup back in August following a goalless draw.
Kieran Lee and Nathan Delfouneso both missed from the spot as Evatt’s men crashed out in the second round.
But the Wanderers squad is now looking very different following the arrivals of seven fresh faces in the January transfer window.
James Trafford and Aaron Morley were among the new additions and Evatt wants his younger players to relish the occasion and show what they can do, but admits the result is ultimately all that matters.
He added: “Some of them are very young lads. Aaron Morley, for instance, is only 21 so it is a great experience for him.
“But it is a great experience for everybody. Everybody wants to be involved and play in these big games but it is not just about playing in them.
“You have to make sure that you impact them and are brave and show courage and personality - especially the way we play you need to do that - and come out the other side with the victory.
“I don’t think that the Bolton fans, regardless of how we play, will be bothered about our performance if it results in three points.
“But from my perspective and the coaches’ perspective, if you perform well it gives you a better chance of getting those three points. We will go there and give it our best shot.”
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