Scott Golbourne feels he's arrived at Wolves

Timing, they say is everything. And for Scott Golbourne, he feels his has arrived.

Now 26, the Wolves left-back appears to be approaching the peak of his powers as he prepares to return to the Championship after an ultimately stunning first season at Molineux in League One.

But it's been a long journey for the Bristol-born player, and one which isn't without parallels in Kenny Jackett's squad.

The label 'something to prove at this level' could have been tailor-made for Golbourne and a few of his team-mates.

Maybe their big move didn't turn out the way they wanted it to first time around, and that has made them all the more aware of taking their opportunity now.

That's certainly the way in Golbourne's case.

After bursting onto the scene at hometown club Bristol City, he was catapulted onto a grander stage at Reading.

But it was there his career stalled, and after just two league appearances for the Royals in three and a half years punctuated by loan spells at Wycombe, Bournemouth and Oldham.

It finally took a ground-breaking spell at Exeter to 'make a man' – his term – of him. "I see this as my time now," said Golbourne.

"When I was at Reading, Nicky Shorey was around the age I am now - 25, 26, 27 – and playing for them and he was on the brink of the England team as well.

"So it was tough getting in as an 18, 19-year-old kid into a team that won the Championship and then finished eighth in the Premier League.

"It's like any youngster trying to break into our back four after last season.

"There weren't any injuries or suspensions so I found myself going out on loan, which is also good but you don't get the same sense of belonging, so it's difficult. So I signed for Exeter, which was brilliant for me.

"There are some really good people there and they play good football which is helpful because it's sometimes quite difficult dropping down the leagues as the style of football doesn't suit people coming out of academies.

"I was lucky enough to have Paul Tisdale and Steve Perryman there and they just gave me a platform really to show what I was capable of.

"I learned a lot of things along the way such as addressing my weaknesses and ended up being better for it."

Golbourne also feels his spell in Devon helped him grow up too, with none of the 'silver-spoon' environment associated with higher up the footballing pyramid.

"It toughens you up – we had to wash your own kit and sort out our own food after games," he said.

"So when I hear the lads moaning now about things now, they don't know they're born. For me it was brilliant because it taught me to be a man as well as just a footballer.

"As a person it did me the world of good going there. It was a case of rebuilding – I was allowed to be myself.

"I found myself as a person, how I wanted to be on the pitch and the type of player I wanted to be.

"It was perfect because I worked on my game, learning where to be on the pitch and how to perform against the opposition.

"Getting that consistency as well can be difficult as a young player, especially as a defender.

"It enabled me to move on to Barnsley and then Wolves because I was ready this time.

"I went to the Championship and I was a lot better equipped this time around.

"So I'm excited to be playing in the Championship again."

For all the accolades he received for his performances last season, it wasn't all plain sailing.

And Golbourne freely admits he took time to settle into his new surroundings after arriving from Barnsley for £700,000 last August.

"Definitely. I'd just come back from an injury as well so I didn't play at the end of the previous season and missed out on a fair bit of football," he said.

"It's just relationships as well – my three main relationships on the pitch are with Bakary Sako, Richard Stearman and Kevin McDonald.

"It took a little while to get those right.

"As a team, we didn't really have much of an identity to start with and it took us a while to find exactly how we wanted to play and exactly what suits us.

"There was a little bit of trial and error with a new manager coming in.

"It wasn't until around Christmas we realised what our strengths are and we started playing to those.

"Similarly, that was also reflected in me. Once we started to identify how we wanted to play it was a lot better for me.

"Relationships are really important as well and once you build those, it improves your game massively."

Now he's very much part of the 'new Wolves', Golbourne is eager to grab the next challenge – that of trying to reach the Premier League.

And, like Jackett and his team-mates, there's a hunger in his convinction that it's a realistic aim.

"That's the plan. You never know what's going to happen but you have to set your sights high and aim as high as you can to get there.

"We'll just keep working really hard and taking it a game or a block or month at a time and try to perform to our best and see where that takes us."