Sam's glory boys

Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United are not going to dominate the title race this season as they have in the past.

But O'Leary, Wenger, Gregory and -- in Houllier's absence -- Thompson, who are all suddenly excited after seeing more cracks appear in the Old Trafford citadel, would not have the foggiest idea what Saturday's sensational and thoroughly deserved victory actually means to Bolton Wanderers.

They will be chuffed for Big Sam, who is quickly winning the respect of his peers to go with his undoubted popularity in the management ranks. They will probably start to revise their opinions that the Reebok bubble has burst and they may grudgingly acknowledge that the early season upstarts are not, after all, tumbling headlong into the murky waters of the relegation zone.

But to fully appreciate the magnitude of this result they would have to see the beaming smiles on the faces of the supporters today -- 48 hours after the event -- and the chest-swelling pride of the players who, although gathered from far and wide, are fast-tracked into understanding precisely what it means for Wanderers to put one over on their greatest rivals.

Every team enjoys victory over Manchester United -- such is life for the Red Devils -- but it is arguable whether anyone anywhere in the world draws such satisfaction as Bolton fans from bringing them down a peg or three.

Bob Taylor was only on loan at the time but he secured a contract and a place alongside Nat Lofthouse and Frank Worthington in the ranks of the folk heroes on the strength of the goal that earned Wanderers a Premiership draw at Old Trafford in 1998.

Now Kevin Nolan and Michael Ricketts have joined the club.

The two youngsters -- 19 and 22 respectively -- produced strikes that underlined the growing belief that, under Allardyce, Wanderers will not be the whipping boys and may not even have to concern themselves with relegation matters at all if the likes of Leicester, Southampton, Derby, Ipswich and Fulham continue to carve each other up.

They may not have anything like the individual talent and nowhere near the strength in depth that allowed Ferguson to make eight changes to the side beaten three nights earlier by Deportivo La Coruna and still field a starting line-up featuring 10 internationals including £28 million record signing Juan Veron. But they are powered by a manager who has more tactical know-how than he has ever been given credit for, a collective will that should never be under-estimated, experience in key areas and some stars in the making. Just ask Fergie. The United boss never wastes his breath on platitudes so we can take it that he was both sincere as well as magnanimous in defeat when he conceded that Wanderers "thoroughly deserved" their win, that Big Sam has "done a good job" and that Wanderers are "a formidable side away from home".

Not surprisingly he picked out Gudni Bergsson, Mike Whitlow and Paul Warhurst as the key performers in the defensive unit of a system that was the hallmark of their promotion season and which has served them so well so far in the Premiership.

But this latest triumph to add to the points taken at Elland Road and Highbury and the home victory over Liverpool was about more than just defenders.

When Veron fired United in front in the 25th minute with his "anything Beckham can do" party piece, even Allardyce feared his side might be washed away by the red tide.

No team has ever come from behind to beat United in the Premiership at Old Trafford.

But Sam's boys are made of stern stuff and, for all the possession and the elaborations of Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt, they refused to submit.

Within 10 minutes they were back on terms, Bruno N'Gotty supplying the cross and Ricketts the carefully cushioned header for Nolan to beat the hapless Fabien Barthez with a stunning right-foot volley. The kid from Merseyside -- the most celebrated product of the Academy system -- always said Old Trafford would be one of the highlights of his season and so it proved, thanks to his own efforts and three sensational saves from Jussi Jaaskelainen (the double from Scholes and Andy Cole was described by George Best as the save of the season).

It turned out to be crucial that Wanderers went in level at half time.

It gave Allardyce the chance to offer encouragement to his players to keep up the good work at the back and stimulation to his creative players, reminding them of a weakness he had highlighted in the United formation.

"We talked about playing little diagonals because we felt the full-backs played slightly in front of the centre halves," the manager explained.

"If you get the first pass right behind United's midfield then you'll have the opportunity to get at their back four.

"We didn't do that very well in the first half but we did in the second."

To such an extent that, despite having to re-arrange when the brave Warhurst finally gave in to the pain of a hip injury he had carried for more than half an hour, it was Wanderers, with the pace of Ricketts, Ricardo Gardner and Jermaine Johnson who dominated the second period in terms of clear-cut chances.

Allardyce was seething when Graham Barbour turned down appeals for a penalty when Veron tripped Per Frandsen (Fergie would have given it!) and was wondering whether his big chance had gone when Ricketts and Gardner squandered gilt-edged opportunities.

But hit man Ricketts, back in the starting line-up after a four-match stint on the subs' bench and working tirelessly and effectively in the lone striker's role, only needed one more sight of goal.

He got it six minutes from time when Wes Brown's clumsy attempt to deal with Jaaskelainen's long clearance ricocheted kindly ... Barthez did not stand a chance.

It was suggested pre-season that, if Wanderers do nothing else in the Premiership, the fans would be happy if they put one over on United.

The 3,000 who were there to see it will tell the tale to their grandchildren but there is much more for Wanderers to achieve and, as Ferguson rightly points out, the supporters should have no fears. The players clearly don't. It is encouraging to hear that they have hit their first target -- 15 points from their first 10 games -- since they must have believed before a ball was kicked that they were good enough to win half their fixtures.

That they have achieved it having suffered successive home defeats by Southampton, Sunderland and Newcastle makes it all the more remarkable, if a little frustrating.

"It really does make me wonder where we would be now if we'd sorted our home form out," Allardyce said, as he looked up from sixth place in the Premiership.

But, after seeing his team upstage United at the so-called "Theatre of Dreams", he has the consolation of knowing that, while they have missed opportunities at the Reebok, his underdogs are suddenly developing into "big game players".

Wanderers have arrived and it is time the rest of the Premiership started to take them seriously. The 3,000 who were there to see it will tell the tale to their grandchildren...