James Belshaw says he is focused on just one thing after signing a new contract with Bristol Rovers: Promotion.
The goalkeeper penned a new two-year deal with the Gas on Thursday as reward for a fine maiden season at the Mem. His 14 clean sheets – 10 of which have been secured in 2022 – have played a pivotal role in turning Rovers' season around. The 31-year-old's future in BS7 has been secured, but with eight games remaining and Rovers intent on bursting into the top three, Belshaw's attention is fixed firmly on the task at hand.
"We want to take this club to the next level," he told BBC Radio Bristol. "The remit at the start of the season was to take this club back into League One and I think it might’ve looked a long way off earlier in the season, but we have put ourselves in a position where it is a real possibility of us getting back up at the first time of asking.
"For the duration of this contract, I want to take this club as far as it can, to contribute and to see these Gasheads happy and back where the club deserves to be.
"There are eight cup finals to go. We’re not getting ahead of ourselves, we’ve got a tough game coming up this weekend but we’re on a good little run.
"I think the main vibe from the training ground, the changing rooms and the staff is we’re remaining humble, we’re not getting ahead of ourselves. Yeah, we’re enjoying winning at the minute and we’re enjoying playing well, but it’s that next game and that next game. We’ve got the senior pros in the group trying to keep everyone level-headed and focused because we’ve got a driven group.
"You can see the talent we’ve got in the group, we’ve got match-winners right throughout the side and we’ve built on a solid foundation because we’ve been keeping clean sheets. We’ve then got special players at the top end of the pitch that can go and win us a match."
The goalkeeper was already contracted to stay at Rovers until 2023 after joining on a free transfer from Harrogate Town in the summer, but his fine form has pushed manager Joey Barton and CEO Tom Gorringe to act promptly to secure his future.
Belshaw intends to move his family to the area in the summer after penning his new deal, and he is delighted to have struck an agreement so swiftly.
"We’ve been having discussions about it for a while, but it’s really good to get it over the line and know for the next few years where my future is going to be," Belshaw added. "From day one, I’ve been made to feel extremely welcome by fans, staff, players and everyone around the city I’ve come into contact with. I’m looking forward to kicking on now and staying here for the foreseeable.
"It’s a huge honour and I’m very proud to represent the club. As soon as I was aware of the interest from Rovers last summer, it was something I wanted to pursue. You get here and you see the setup, the size of the club and everything that goes with it, it was an easy decision at the start.
"I’ve had to come in and fight for my shirt and fight for my place and hopefully I’ve been able to show some decent performances out on the pitch."
Belshaw has earned fan-favourite status at the Mem thanks to his performances between the sticks and the time he has given supporters off the pitch. He believes it is vital that players have a connection with supporters if they are to succeed.
"As a player, it’s impossible to perform to your maximum unless you care," he said. "If you don’t really care about what you’re doing, you’re not passionate about the club you’re representing because there are 11 players out there. It’s a huge honour to wear the badge and represent the club because you’re playing to make a helluva lot of people happy and your actions on the pitch can ultimately determine that.
"I do spend a lot of time close to the Thatchers End and all throughout the season, even when we were having a more difficult time towards the start of the season, you can really see the passion the fans have for the club. They stuck with us through some difficult times. We were still bedding in, we were a new group but I’d like to think we’ve repaid them, certainly since the turn of the year with the performances.
"The past few games at the Mem, the sell-out against Exeter, really stick in the and with the fans making themselves heard. As players, you feed off that energy when things might not quite be going quite right. If there needs to be a spark in the game, the Gasheads can give you that.
"For me, it’s about doing what I can do to make them happy and I’d like to think I’ve gone some way to doing that this season."
Belshaw was acquired by Barton to compete with Anssi Jaakkola for the number one role, but with the Finn's season blighted by injuries the former Harrogate man has grabbed the opportunity to solidify his place.
Barton has often made clear his high opinion of his goalkeeper and his importance to Rovers' revival in the second half of the season, and Belshaw is also enjoying his time working with the Pirates boss.
"The main thing you get from the gaffer is passion," Belshaw added. "He’ll wear his heart on his sleeve and he’ll give everything for the cause. He’s very supportive of the boys, but behind the scenes, he’s very knowledgeable and astute.
"He’s got his identity of how he wants us to play and in the early part of the season, I don’t think we were executing that as well as we probably should have as players on the pitch. What has helped recently has been we have been able to settle on an XI in the squad.
"He wants this more than anyone in the dressing room. He’s a great gaffer to work for."
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