STIG Tofting has refused to criticise Sam Allardyce, despite being continually frozen out of Wanderers' first team plans.

The former Denmark international has made just one senior appearance since the turn of the year - the FA Cup tie against Sunderland - and has dropped down the midfield pecking order.

It is a far cry from a year ago when he was a regular in the Premiership after joining Wanderers from SV Hamburg in a £250,000 deal. But he was philosophical about his situation when he told the Danish daily BT: "Of course it's not satisfying to play in the reserves but, that aside, I am feeling well in Bolton.

"My personal relationship with Allardyce is actually quite good. I just have to accept that he won't use me.

"He's a nice guy and understands when I want to travel home to my wife Bettina and the children in Denmark.

"I've had one conversation with Allardyce in January and I told him that I was confident that I could give the team something, to let him know that I cared about my situation.

"I was promoted to the bench against Birmingham but, after that, he bought three new players and then I was out in the cold again.

"He has told me that there are three or four players ahead of me in my position so it is tough."

Tofting, who is a crowd favourite at the Reebok, is waiting for his appeal to be heard in Denmark after he was given a suspended four-month prison sentence for his part in a fracas in a restaurant in Copenhagen.