Sam 'Bolton Could Be In Champions League If They Backed Me'

"I spent 18 years at Bolton and, in all that time, there was one bad year when I came back for a second spell as a player under Phil Neal. Apart from that, I had nothing but great times at Bolton and I just hope that's not forgotten.

"In almost eight years there as a manager we had major, major success. As far as I'm concerned, it's a football club I've turned around and made a big, big success story.

"How the Bolton supporters react to that I don't know, but no one there will be able to point the finger at me or question what I did for Bolton.

"European football for the first time in Bolton's history on a consistent basis.

"People laughed I said we'd get into Europe but we wrote it down and left it in the dressing room so we would all remember it.

"Those people weren't laughing when we achieved it.

"If the club had really wanted to, we could have finished fourth (last season). Had the club spent what was needed to bring in a couple of big players (during January's transfer window), it would have given us an opportunity to qualify for the Champions League but because we didn't do that, the lads lost belief and instead of finishing fourth, they finished seventh.

"I thought it was more financially sound to invest than not to, more so than ever before, but they didn't think they could find the finances.

"That was the way we worked and I had to accept it. But I do think that the knock-on effect was for us to have that last part of the season where we really could have achieved an awful lot more. It wasn't to be, but it was still a very successful season.

"Sammy's got a difficult job because he's not taking over a struggling side - that could be a problem. He hasn't been a manager before, but there isn't a more qualified man in football than him.

"He's done it all in the game. He's played at the highest level and coached at the highest level and he's won more medals than most.

"He has all the credentials that are needed, apart from never having been a manager before. If he puts all that experience together with the dedication he has and gets the right support from everyone at the club, I'm sure he can be successful. But not this weekend.

"I just hope I'll be walking in (after the game) with a big smile and looking forward to the first beer.

"It's bizarre that this is the first game and, to be honest, it's one I want to get out of the way. I'm not looking forward to it, although I've never looked forward to the first game of the season as a manager.

"In fact, I don't remember ever looking forward to a game in 15 years. The anxieties have been less over the last four years because I've been able to trust the players more and I've known that I've got better players than ever before. Fear about the games has been less, but looking forward to it? Never.

"I think it will be a unique situation where I feel both sides are mine. I don't think there will be a player who starts for Bolton who I didn't contribute to the team.

"Newcastle will be the team playing Sam Allardyce-style football because I only play the winning type.

"There are two tunnels so it's not easy to get caught out walking towards the wrong dug-out. I think I should just about remember I'm the away manager this time."