The 25-year old spent a year on the sidelines in the 2001-2002 season owing to ligament damage which threatened to end his career but he has successfully fought back from that and other injuries besides and last season was able to return to competitive action first with Leeds and then for a short loan spell with boyhood heroes Newcastle United.
"I would love to shrug off the label of 'Injury prone Michael Bridges'" he told bwfc.co.uk
"People forget that I have been injury free for a year and now this is my chance to come out and prove them wrong"
"I have to prove other people wrong but I have to prove it to myself as well. If your not confident then you don't acheive anything and I am confident that I can come back and do a job here" he said
The trip to Bormio proved useful for Bridges as it helped the former England U21 ace settle into his new environment and bond with his new team mates with the ex-Sunderland star admitting he only knew Kevin Davies previously having been teammates with the current Bolton player of the year at international level
"I've played with Kevin Davies for the U21's about six years ago and he is the only lad here I have come across before but I have just been to Bormio with the lads for nine days and it feels like I have been here for about two years already" he added