'I want to pour it all out for this team' - John Bostock ready to enjoy football and success with Doncaster Rovers

John Bostock has experienced more than most the highs and lows of football.
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As a teenager he was tipped for superstardom but finding his way in the game under an intense spotlight of scrutiny proved crippling.

At an age where most youngsters are making their first tentative steps into the game, the midfielder was facing unrelenting pressure to succeed and by 21, he found himself in the position of having effectively been written off as a top level player.

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But that experience, plus his rejuvenation on the continent, has taught the 29-year-old a major lesson that he says will drive the remainder of his career.

John BostockJohn Bostock
John Bostock

Enjoyment is key.

And Bostock is confident that he will have plenty to enjoy as a Doncaster Rovers player.

“I’ve not been able to enjoy all of it,” he told the Free Press. “No way, absolutely not.

“You go through stuff and it’s challenging. Everyone’s life is different and it’s all relative to our own normality.

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Football wise, family wise, we all go through our own challenges and you don’t always enjoy it.

“You realise that even through the tests and the challenges, it produces perseverance.

“Even when stuff hasn’t gone my way, I’ve realised that it’s been good for my character and I’ve learned an awful lot.

“But, especially in these last few years, I’ve learned how to enjoy the ride.

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“As a young player you always put pressure on yourself and I put a heck of a lot of pressure on myself when I was young to match up to what people expected of me.

“And in doing that, I lost a lot of joy. You miss out on enjoying the journey.

“I’ve learned that the hard way through what I’ve been through.

“Joy isn’t running around with a smile on your face even after you’ve lost. It’s about being really engaged in the moment and taking every game as it comes, enjoying every session and giving your all.

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“I guess it comes through experience but I want to enjoy my career and every single session, as much as I can, because that’s when I think you’re at your best.

“So I’ll do my best to enjoy it, that’s for sure.”

The former Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder regained his love for the game through spells in Belgium and France, where he enjoyed plenty of success both individually and with sides such as OH Leuven and RC Lens.

For the first time in career he was able to play games on a regular basis and show his undeniable technical quality, which brought plenty of individual awards.

“It’s about remembering why you wanted to play football,” he said. “It wasn’t for people’s opinions, or for anything materialistic gain or status - it was just to play.

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“My first manager in Belgium was Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink at Antwerp and he just gave me the platform to play.

“I was 21 at the time and it was a huge turning point in my career.”

Barring a season-long loan at Nottingham Forest last season - where he made only nine appearances - Bostock has spent the majority of his adult life so far playing abroad.

Having enjoyed success away from English football, does he feel as though he needs to prove himself on home shores?

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“I don’t feel like I have anything to prove to people,” he said. “I just want to give my all and pour it all out for this team.

“This is the most individualistic team sport ever, football.

“When you focus on yourself only, you can lose the picture of the bigger goal.

“I’ve come into a fantastic team. The team is ticking over nicely and is where it deserves to be.

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“I’m not going to focus on myself only. I’m going to try to help this team get to where we all think it should be and deserve to be.

“I’m not going to get overwhelmed with trying to prove myself. I don’t feel like I have to do that.

“I’ve proven myself over the years to be professional and I’ll just give my all.

“I think sometimes when you think like that you can put pressure on yourself and make it something into what it isn’t.

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“I’m here to help this team as much as I can, play the role I’m given and we’ll hopefully be celebrating by the end of the season.”

Bostock has been in training with Rovers for the last three weeks and admits he has been impressed with what he has seen from the club and players in that time.

And he is confident he can be part of a successful side this season.

He said: “Just coming into this environment I’ve just been really surprised, impressed and encouraged just to see the level, the atmosphere, the camaraderie, the team spirit.

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“I’ve been here for only two weeks but I’ve been watching from afar for a while and this team deserves a heck of a lot and hopefully we’ll get what we deserve by the end of the season.

“There’s still a heck of a lot of games to be played so hopefully we can continue what we started and build on that.”

Having been without a club since leaving Toulouse in October, Bostock has been working on his fitness since signing an 18-month deal with Rovers.

Though his wait for his debut may stretch beyond this weekend, he is desperate to get started.

“Trust me, I can’t wait to get back in,” he said.

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“I’m enjoying training but there is something about matchday when you put on your boots, when you see your shirt there and you go out.

“When I’m called upon, I’ll be ready and I’m really excited to play.”

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In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.

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