Steven Schumacher has struck Bolton Wanderers gold - Only Charlton Athletic have seen this | OneFootball

Mason Burstow is enjoying a fine run of form on loan at Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers' start to the League One season has been slightly inconsistent, but there is belief that Steven Schumacher still has the tools to mount a serious promotion bid this term.

The Lancashire outfit have been one of the third-tier's 'big-hitters' for some time, as they continue to undergo a rebuilding job after prior years of uncertainty and a plight from the Premier League down to the EFL's lower reaches.

Wanderers have come close to ending their Championship hiatus in two of the past three seasons, losing in the play-off semi-finals and final to Barnsley and Oxford United respectively, before moving to appoint the one-time title winner with Plymouth Argyle back at the end of January following the departure of Ian Evatt.

Schumacher has overseen plenty of change during his first pre-season in charge at the Toughsheet Community Stadium after a dismal end to last season, and he has certainly struck transfer gold with a handful of his summer signings thus far.

One of those comes in the form of Hull City loanee Mason Burstow, who has certainly rekindled his goalscoring touch since moving across the M62 in August, and Bolton could certainly end up reaping the rewards of the temporary agreement with the Tigers.

Mason Burstow has started his Bolton Wanderers loan spell in strong goalscoring form

The early years of Burstow's senior career have generated plenty of intrigue, especially after Premier League giants, Chelsea, acquired his services back in the winter of 2022 as an 18-year-old from Charlton Athletic, a deal which saw the striker return to The Valley on a loan basis after previously breaking onto the first-team scene.

Prior to his permanent exit from Stamford Bridge last summer, only the South London side and those working with the conveyor belt at the two-time UEFA Champions League winners had fully seen the potential which the 22-year-old can still fulfill, with Burstow scoring six times in 23 appearances for Charlton and 11 times in 30 games for Chelsea's Under-21 outfit.

Despite said potential, the former England Under-20 international has struggled to fully make the step-up to the Championship in a loan spell with Sunderland during the second half of the 2023/24 campaign and following his £2m move to the MKM Stadium last summer.

Burstow has made 51 appearances in the second-tier to date, only scoring on two occasions. Yet, despite leading the line and scoring an impressive header for Hull in a pre-season friendly against Stockport County, the forward saw a loan move sanctioned prior to the arrivals of Oli McBurnie and Joe Gelhardt in East Yorkshire.

However, it is a move clearly benefitting all parties so far, with the young forward being among League One's top performers so far, scoring four times in the opening seven games, averaging a goal every 135 minutes, with one in every four of his attempts finding the back of the net.

Such strong form is also keeping the likes of Sam Dalby and John McAtee out of the side, which further echoes the confidence running through Burstow's veins given the summer signing's prior form in a loan spell with Dundee United and McAtee's previous third-tier pedigree.

There were some questions raised as to how Schumacher would replace the likes of Dion Charles and Aaron Collins - who departed for Huddersfield Town and MK Dons in January and the summer - but Burstow has certainly provided an answer in the short-term, at least.

The challenge for the Hull loanee is to continue producing the goods on a consistent basis, having yet been able to do so in his career to date at senior level.

In truth, he could have also added to his tally of four after missing two big chances in the opening cluster of matches, but he is also bringing the likes of Amario Cozier-Duberry - who has also started a loan move in strong fashion - into play, providing one key pass per 90 minutes thus far.

Schumacher is renowned for his man-management skills on top of his tactical nous, and there aren't many head coaches who provide a better learning opportunity for Burstow, given his pedigree as a title-winner at Home Park just two years ago, where the likes of Bali Mumba, Morgan Whittaker and Finn Azaz really came into their own.