ON the basis that it is as satisfying to give as it is to receive, Sam Allardyce is hoping to celebrate his 47th birthday and second anniversary as manager by presenting Wanderers' fans with the result he knows they will cherish above all others.

"Keeping our unbeaten away run going would be the best birthday present for me and, hopefully, the supporters will also be having a good celebration," the Bolton chief said as he hoped for the best in today's derby.

But, regardless of the Old Trafford scoreline, what Allardyce has achieved in his two years at the Reebok helm is worth a toast in itself. When Colin Todd resigned in September 1999 Wanderers were a club in crisis. The team stood 20th in Division One, they had sold Per Frandsen for financial reasons and the future looked bleak.

Cometh the hour, cometh Big Sam!

Despite the constraints and against all expectations, he breathed new life into the playing squad and in just seven months led the club to three semi-finals - the Worthington Cup, the FA Cup and the promotion play-offs. Having again been forced to sell or release some of his better players - Claus Jensen, Mark Fish, Michael Johansen - he kicked off his first full season in charge scratching round to make up a team.

But against all odds Big Sam led that "scratch" team to a glorious promotion at Cardiff's impressive Millennium Stadium to put Wanderers back in the big time.

They were written off right from the start but, in true Allardyce fashion, Wanderers have come out fighting, winning their first three Premiership games and even having the audacity to top the table to earn their highly-respected young manager the FA Barclaycard Manager of the Month award for August.

No one expects him to win another this season ... but no one expected him to be here in the first place!