SAM Allardyce set out his requirements today as he stepped up his search for a new goalkeeper.

The Wanderers' boss is prepared to take temporary cover if he has to but ideally he wants clearance from his bosses to make a permanent signing to solve the problem once and for all.

"I have to do something," he admitted after seeing the situation reach crisis point on Saturday when his gamble of taking on Newcastle without specialist cover for Jussi Jaaskelainen backfired as the Finland international was sent off and midfielder Bo Hansen had to go in goal.

Though Wanderers only trailed 1-0 at the time before eventually crashing 4-0, Allardyce did not consider the sending off as the main reason Wanderers crashed to their third successive home Premiership defeat. The key issue, he insisted, was Nolberto Solano's 42nd minute goal being allowed to stand, despite video evidence which shows the Peruvian was offside.

Nevertheless, with Jaaskelainen now automatically suspended for the game at Aston Villa on Saturday week and with no guarantees that Steve Banks will have fully recovered from the dislocated finger that kept him off the bench for the Newcastle game, his post-match thoughts have been dominated by the goalkeeping position.

"Steve might not be 100 per cent for two to three weeks so we would have to use him sparingly as a number two and make sure he's fully fit," he suggested. "And if we can't find one on loan, I'll have to see the chairman and see if we can buy one. That's the bottom line.

"We have to get the goalkeeper of the right calibre. The lads have to have confidence in the person who is between the posts. That's as crucial as having your centre-forward scoring goals."

Though having called off his search for a third keeper after seeing Jaaskelainen and Banks in such fine form this season, Allardyce has never been entirely happy with the situation since being priced out of a deal for Bradford's Matt Clarke, who played so well for Wanderers on loan at the end of last season and has since joined Crystal Palace in a £1 million-plus transfer. He also sold his third choice, Matt Glennon, to Hull City for £50,000 in the summer.

One problem is that he cannot loan from the Premiership while available understudy keepers in the Nationwide League may not have the necessary credentials.

"I have to find a third goalkeeper, which is what we've been trying to do since the start of the season," the manager confirmed. "He needs to be at an age to be good enough to come into the side and do a game or two yet not be frustrated if he only gets on the bench or is not even involved in the first team from time to time.

"So we're obviously looking at an age around the 21, 22, 23 mark. He must have the right amount of experience of league football, wherever that might be.

"We need to resolve the problem so that, if something like this occurs again, we don't have to fall into panic. But goalkeepers are the hardest people to find after a striker who scores goals."

Defender Mike Whitlow will also miss the Aston Villa game after collecting his fifth booking of the season for a foul on Alan Shearer.