Wanderers are clearing the decks to bring new blood to the club during the January transfer window.

Nicky Southall rejoined Gillingham yesterday and Dean Holdsworth and David Norris are off the wage bill on loan at Coventry and Plymouth.

It is part of Reebok manager Sam Allardyce's intention of making gaps in the squad which he can fill with at least a couple of Premiership class loan stars in January.

Southall became the first to go when he turned a loan deal, signed only last week, into a three-year permanent deal with no fee involved.

The 30-year-old was an important part of last season's First Division campaign, playing 18 league games, but he has been unable to force his way into this season's Premiership squad.

He spent two months on loan at Norwich from where he was recalled a fortnight ago to help ease Wanderers' crippling injury crisis.

Allardyce said: "Nicky had an excellent season last term but has found it difficult to get into the side this time around."

With Plymouth believed to be ready to make a move to keep Norris full time and Coventry paying 80 per cent of Holdsworth's wages, Wanderers are getting their wage bill down.

Allardyce said: "Nicky's transfer allows us to create funds to recruit other players when the transfer window opens.

"It is very important we try and move some players on to other clubs. We are trying to do it as soon as we can.

"We look to move players to the Nationwide League but because of their money problems it is hard to find clubs to take them.

"It is difficult to ask clubs in the Nationwide to take our players on loan and match our wages even though we are in the bottom three in the Premiership wage scale."