STEVE Howey has finalised his transfer from Leicester City, confident that he is joining an established top-flight club.

The former Newcastle and Manchester City centre-back passed a medical on Thursday and on Friday had his transfer registered in time to be eligible for the game at Charlton.

Howey says Sam Allardyce made him an offer he could not refuse.

"It was a fantastic opportunity that I couldn't pass up." he said. "Everyone thought Bolton would be fighting at the wrong end of the league, but they are proving a force to be reckoned with."

Allardyce has had no time to celebrate Wanderers' qualification for the Carling Cup Final. But he is hoping the excitement of the semi-final triumph over Aston Villa will have had a positive influence on the league.

"I'm hoping the euphoria of getting to the final spills over into the Charlton game, rather than diluting the performance," he said.

Kevin Nolan returns from suspension at The Valley but Allardyce must wait on fitness checks on Simon Charlton and Youri Djorkaeff, who have slight hamstring problems, and Kevin Davies, who has a rib injury -- all a legacy of the bruising Carling Cup duel with Villa.