Gartside confident of keeping Sam

Bolton chairman Phil Gartside is confident Sam Allardyce will be manager at the Reebok Stadium next season.

After guiding Bolton into Europe, Allardyce has been linked with taking over from Sven-Goran Eriksson when the England boss stands down after the World Cup this summer.

Gartside, however, believes Allardyce will not leave the club, telling Sky Sports News: “Sam and I are going trekking in the Himalayas and if he thinks about leaving the club I’d shove him off a rope bridge halfway up Everest. He’ll still be with us next year.”

Part of Allardyce’s success has been getting the best out of players towards the end of the careers, with Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler suggested as a possible recruit.

“Gary Speed is a fantastic example of a player who has kept himself fit and looked after himself. He has benefited from the attention to detail at Bolton and the medical services,” Gartside added.

“Robbie, I am sure, would benefit from that if he came along but that is pure speculation. We’ve not even discussed it.

“I don’t look after the football but I’m sure Sam is interested in somebody who can score 13 goals in 14 games against Bolton. At least he would stop scoring against us if he played for us.”