SAM Allardyce is predicting life will be tougher for Wanderers in the Premiership, second time around.

The Reebok boss has drawn on memories of his playing days and statistical analysis to back his belief that next season could be the biggest challenge yet for his squad.

They will not have the promotion momentum that gave them their flying start last August and, now they know what's in store, the fear factor could come into play.

"The likes of Bradford and Ipswich have shown that there is a certain trend that has always been there," he warned. "If you survive the first season, the second becomes increasingly more difficult.

"That's because the euphoria of getting promoted takes you into the new season where your early results are your best results. That's gone on throughout history because we've researched it. Most teams, whether they stay up or end up being relegated, get more points in the first 10 games than at any other stage.

"When you stay up, you don't have that euphoria going into the second season and in some cases you might also have a bit of fear in the players who think 'Hell, do we have to go through this all again?' They have to go to Highbury, to Liverpool and to Manchester United and they can see what's coming.

"It can be quite fearful - the size and resilience of the other teams and squads - to some of your players who have enjoyed the ride but have become more fearful of it because it becomes more difficult for them to stay at these levels.

"That's something that, as a manager, you have to guard against."

In his playing days, Allardyce was a key member of the Bolton side that won promotion to the old First Division in 1978 and which, thanks in no small part to Frank Worthington's goals, survived the drop in the first season only to be relegated the following year.

"Even though we made some expensive additions to the team - Neil McNab, Len Cantello and Dave Clement - for what were considerable fees at that particular time, we still found that second season much harder than the first," he recalls.

Despite the incredible success he has generated in his two and a half years in charge at the Reebok, Allardyce says the pressure on managers is now greater than ever. "You have to delegate," he says, "If you try to do it all yourself these days, you'll drive yourself into an early grave."

But he does not believe the weight of expectation from Wanderers' fans will be any greater burden than his own aspirations.

"With all due respect to our supporters - and I have the greatest respect for them - I don't need them to tell me what the expectations are," he adds. "I know that from my own ambitions.

"I have only driven the club as far as it has come at this moment in time because of my own ambition.

"If I hadn't had those ambitions, I don't think this club would be in the position it is in at the moment."

Wanderers oficials are due to fly to Italy next week to tie up the agreement with Juventus that could give Sam Allardyce the services of the fringe player on the Turin giants' squad.