MIKE Whitlow, who suffered severe concussion in Tuesday night's FA Cup defeat by Spurs, today declared himself fit for the vital Premiership clash with West Ham at the Reebok on Saturday.

He was detained in hospital after a clash with Dean Richards that at first sparked fears of a serious injury and inititially it was thought he would be out for a fortnight.

An examination later revealed that the damage was no more than concussion and manager Sam Allardyce said: "The injury caused him to be violently sick at half-time. He will be out for a mandatory two weeks."

The veteran defender spent Tuesday night under observation in a London hospital even though X-rays showed no apparent damage but the 34-year-old had a precautionary examination by a head and neck specialist on Wednesday morning before being allowed home.

Allardyce, who was seriously concerned for Whitlow's well-being immediately after the match, was relieved when doctors told him there was no serious damage.

"The referee missed a very dangerous challenge," the Wanderers' boss said, voicing one of two complaints he levelled at Bristol official Steve Dunn. "But thankfully the people who examined him last night don't think there's going to be a problem

"Mick is not 100 per cent - I've never seen someone so violently sick as he was at half time - but he should be okay."

However, after a medical examination revealed that the condition was nothing more than nausea, Whitlow has today has been given the all clear to return to the Wanderers line-up against The Hammers.