SAM Allardyce admitted today that it would be impossible for Wanderers to sign top international stars if European-style transfer windows were imposed in England.
The Reebok boss says he would not have been able to sign either Fredi Bobic or Youri Djorkaeff if he had been subjected to the regulations that limit the movement of players on the continent.
And he is urging the establishment - the clubs, the FA and the Football League - to resist UEFA's attempts to bring Britain into line.
"It would make it impossible because we would be competing with the rest," Allardyce explained, "and when we are competing with the rest, a club like ourselves would not have got these players."
Wanderers were able to make their moves for Bobic, Djorkaeff and Denmark midfielder Stig Tofting - all from clubs in Germany's Bundesliga - because they had been overlooked by more affluent European clubs during the January "window".
"I just wouldn't have been able to do it in January," the manager stressed on Touchline TV.
Allardyce is fiercely opposed to the introduction of transfer windows, which he believes would threaten the existence of the 92-club professional structure in England.
"It's not the right thing to do for football, certainly not in this country," he insists. "We are unique in the fact that we have 92 clubs trading. We are restricted in the latter part of the season which is correct but for the rest of the season people can trade as they wish.
"I'd see it as a restriction of trade (if transfer windows were imposed ) and a dangerous situation for many clubs.
"If some clubs are not allowed to trade their players they will go into administration ... and this country needs to keep 92 professional football clubs because that is the structure that will breed us our next generation of international players."
Like all clubs, Wanderers have been asked for their input in the transfer window debate and Allardyce sounds adamant when he stresses: "It's there for us to challenge.
"We don't like it, we don't want it and we're not going to accept it.
"But FIFA are FIFA and UEFA are UEFA and they'll always go along the lines they want to."
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