HONORARY Aussie Brian Nuttall travelled back to Bolton to celebrate his mother's 80th birthday . . . and met up with Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce!

Brian, aged 43, a life-long Trotters fan who moved Down Under 18 years ago, was treated to a day out watching his heroes at Saturday's Premiership clash with Fulham.

And family members fixed it for him to meet Big Sam before the game as a special treat.

Brian's brother Frank, aged 46, of Morris Green, said: "We always do something special when Brian comes home and he is a mad-keen Wanderers fan so we thought this would be nice.

"We used to go to watch the Wanderers when we were younger. He loves his football and lots of other sports."

Brian, a former machine operator who has never married, moved to Adelaide in 1983. He has returned to his Bolton roots a handful of times. This year he flew back for a two-week break.

Brian, who is a goalkeeper for an over 35s team in Australia joined family members, including his two brothers and three sisters, at the match before meeting his mother Annie for a party.

He said: "It was a really nice surprise and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. When I lived in Bolton I used to follow the Wanderers and watch Sam Allardyce play.

"The last game I watched was about 20 years ago. It was just as good as I remembered, but a lot faster. It was great to meet Sam Allardyce, he seemed a really nice bloke."

One thing that came as little surprise to Brian was the British weather. He said: "The heat was cracking the flags in Australia when I left, but I don't mind, it is really lovely to be back in Bolton again and I am sure I will have a great two weeks."