SATURDAY

"NEVER in my wildest dreams!" was Sam Allardyce's honest reaction to Wanderers' stunning start to the Premiership season.

The 5-0 win at Leicester - the best opening day win in the club's history and the biggest away win for 73 years - put them top of the table and left the Foxes in disarray with humiliated home fans baying for manager Peter Taylor to be sacked. Kevin Nolan and Per Frandsen scored two apiece and Michael Ricketts got the other in the rout.

SUNDAY

SYLVAIN Distin, the 23-year-old defender from Paris St Germain, is back in talks with Wanderers, just days after Allardyce declares the deal "dead and buried". Reports suggest Newcastle are also interested.

MONDAY

FAR from basking in the glory of their new-found Premiership fame, Wanderers are determined to keep their feet on the ground. "We've got to do it again tomorrow," says club captain, Mike Whitlow, before adding a touch of reality with the warning "We're going to end up having that done to us somewhere down the line."

TUESDAY

KNOCKED off top spot overnight, Wanderers were sampling the high life again after opening their Reebok account with a 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough. It's a tougher test than Leicester but Michael 'Rocket' Ricketts comes up trumps again. His 39th minute strike and a magnificently solid and determined performance secure the points and make it six points from two games. Per Frandsen is named in a 25-stronmg squad for Denmark's World Cup qualifiers against Northern Ireland and Bulgaria.

WEDNESDAY

SAM Allardyce praises his players and their fans for responding to his plea for patience going into the Middlesbrough game. "I'm pleased to say they did what I wanted and didn't get over-anxious," the manager says. "At the moment they (the players) are relishing the challenge but, I have to stress, it is only two games." Allardyce tells BWSA that he is scrapping plans to sign Distin after the Frenchman broke off from negotiations to talk to Newcastle.

THURSDAY

SEASON ticket sales pass the 16,000 mark in response to the flying start. "People are sitting up and taking notice of Bolton Wanderers," says commercial director, Gareth Moores. "People are sniffing success and believing in their team's ability to compete in the Premiership." TeamCard, launched at the Middlesbrough game, is declared a "resounding success".

FRIDAY

GARETH Farrelly and Djibril Diawara are declared fit and expected to return to the squad for the Liverpool game. Jussi Jaaskelainen tips Michael Ricketts to emulate Marcus Stewart by making a high-scoring debut in the Premiership. Dean Holden is offered a chance to join Finnish club FC Haka on loan.