GARY Speed put football before cash when he joined Wanderers last night in a £750,000 transfer from Newcastle.

Fulham and Everton both offered better personal terms, but the Wales skipper happily signed a two-year Reebok deal after a meeting with Sam Allardyce.

Today, delighted to have captured a player he describes as a "top-drawer midfielder and top-drawer person", the Wanderers boss praised Speed for his integrity.

Allardyce said: "Had Gary and his agent not acted honourably throughout the negotiations, I don't think he would have signed for us.

"They had more lucrative offers from two other clubs, but they were true to their word.

"After some of the frustrations we've had, with other deals, it was good to be dealing with a British player and a British agent.

"I would like to think that some of the things I was saying went a long way to influencing him, but it was good to find a player who was not only interested in the money."

Speed's agent, Hayden Evans, said that the "feelgood factor" at the Reebok swayed Speed's decision to move to Bolton.

Evans said: "He had a year left on his contract (at Newcastle), and there were two very big First Division clubs and three Premier League clubs who came in for him, but there is a feelgood factor about Bolton and Gary sees this as a good move for him."

Speed's transfer went through without a hitch yesterday, with the medical paperwork completed this morning, but he will not be joining up with his new team-mates until the weekend.

Wanderers, who are currently on a mini-tour of Portugal, will return later this week to continue their home-based pre-season programme at Bradford City on Saturday.

Speed will make his first appearance in Bolton colours at Valley Parade in a testimonial for the Bantams' long serving defender Wayne Jacobs.

Allardyce, who delayed his departure for Portugal to complete the Speed deal, is expected to run the rule over four triallists tonight.

Israel international centre back Tal Ben Haim and three midfield players - Emerson from Brazil, Hassan Kachloul of Morocco and Cyril Rool from the French club Lens - are all hoping to impress.