PHIL Gartside is predicting an end to football's traditional transfer system.

The Reebok chairman believes that, if current trends continue, players could have total freedom of contract with transfer fees becoming a thing of the past within the next two years.

Such a radical shake-up could have major repercussions for the game but Gartside believes Wanderers already have the expertise to work the system to their advantage.

"There could be a situation in 12 to 18 months when there is no transfer system at all," he said. "We could have total freedom of contract so why should you want to go out and buy a player for a huge fee, knowing that in two years time, he'd have no value?

"If that were to happen and it became a free for all, I'd back our experience against anybody's."

Wanderers have spent comparatively little on transfer fees in recent years, largely as a result of their tight fiscal policies. But Gartside and manager Sam Allardyce have still managed to steer the club from mid-table in the old First Division to the upper reaches of the Premiership in just five years, improving the squad, year-on-year, by attracting quality players on loans, free transfers and for nominal fees.

The wage bill has spiralled but they are in credit to the tune of £7.2m on their transfer dealings, having generated £13,375,000 from the sale of players while spending just £6,170,000,

Wanderers accept they will continue to struggle to compete with the likes of Chelsea, who have the wealth of Russian oil magnate Roman Abramovic to attract the world's top players, but Gartside says they would at least be playing on a more level field.

"There are always going to be teams who can attract the really big players but that's a contracting market anyway," he added. "How many players actually come into that category? Maybe 30. We can attract the rest -- in fact we do already when you look at somebody like Jay Jay Okocha."

The Bolton chairman confirmed that funds will be available for Allardyce to strengthen his squad in the January transfer window but said the club would not deviate from their tried and trusted policies.

"There hasn't been a transfer window yet in which we haven't brought players in and this one will be no different," he said.

"But it's not going to be a 25-year-old World Cup winning centre-forward who will cost us £25 million in the hope of getting us into the Champions League. That's not our style.

"If we do bring players in they will be players Sam believes will improve the standard and the quality of the squad.

"It's not about trying to buy success it's about continuing to push the club forward.

"We just don't have that kind of money anyway. And, even if we did. I don't believe you have to spend money (on transfer fees) if you've got somebody with the vision Sam has to find players and sift out the good from the bad.

"We've signed an awful lot of players down the years and they haven't all come off but we've managed to move forward and improve the squad year on year and that is all we are looking to do now."