After a lengthy spell on the sidelines resulting from an ankle injury picked up in the final warm-up before last summer's FIFA Under-20 World Cup, pacy Bolton striker Johann Smith is back on the field with the reserves.

"I actually played 65 minutes in a charity match, with a combination of first team and reserve players," Smith told American Soccer Daily. "I felt really good, and it was great being out there and playing again."

In his absence, Bolton has stuttered with a mixed bag of results to start off the season. Despite growing concerns that the club might be in for a fight to try an reach the high bar set by current Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce, the club and its fans can at least take solace in the retention of mercurial striker Nicolas Anelka.

The former Arsenal and Manchester City ace had been heavily linked for an exit, but Smith is relieved at his renewed commitment to the cause.

"Nico is always someone I watched on television back home," Smith reminisced. "He was one of my favorite players, so it's great to have him on the same team."

Anelka has been in a rich vein of form, scoring four goals and tallying an assist in five games. Nevertheless, Bolton find themselves second from the bottom of the league table, further giving credence to the notion of his importance to the team.

The aspiring Bolton hit man feels that he can learn a lot from his role model.

"He is a player who can win a game for the team in a second so his presence is huge," the US Under-20 international said.

"We are very similar players, so I look at him very closely in games and try to learn as much as I can. Nico gives me advice during training and after training. he helps me out a lot. It's great - one of my all-time favorite players, a player who is similar to me, is always giving me advice."

Next up for the Trotters is a trip to Steve Bruce's Birmingham City on the Saturday following the international break. Smith, however, will be focused on building up his endurance in the reserves.

"There is a reserve game (Monday), and I should be involved in that," the forward added.