By Gordon Sharrock FRANCK Passi, Anthony Barness and Michael Ricketts will all vouch for the fact that no Bolton player can take his first team place for granted.

The fitness-conscious Little General, held up by the Reebok management as a shining example to every aspiring young professional, the talented Londoner who has already shown his value and versatility, and the club's six-goal top scorer have all fallen victim to the Allardyce axe.

And most unexpectedly!

Forced to make two changes for the Gillingham game, where he was without Mark Fish and Jussi Jaaskelainen, it was reasonable to assume the Wanderers' boss would avoid further disruption.

He might have been inclined to tinker after seeing his team beaten by Fulham but, apart from the embarrassment of conceding a goal in 12 seconds from their own kick-off, that first defeat of the season at the hands of the red-hot title favourites was certainly no disgrace.

But the manager saw cause for concern, knew he had reliable replacements at hand and decided it was time to show who's boss.

He knows it could rebound on him; wholesale change is always a risky business but Big Sam has never been frightened to take the big decisions and the teamsheet at Priestfield last Friday night proved it.

Not only did he recall Simon Charlton and Isaiah Rankin but he confirmed his confidence in Kevin Nolan as a star in the making by giving the kid his first senior start!

It didn't quite pay off but it didn't blow up in his face either and, had they continued where they'd left off at half time - leading 2-0 and looking a country mile better than the Gills - I believe Wanderers would have recorded their fifth away win by a huge margin.

They were so much better than their opponents that there was neither rhyme nor reason for them to surrender the initiative.

Allardyce had made his point, though, and not a single player will ever feel cosy again.

"It was pretty dramatic, I have to admit," he confessed as he reflected on his bold team selection.

"We'd only lost the one game and I'd had two changes forced on me ...

"But these are the decisions managers have to make. You just hope they are the right decisions.

"On this occasion I felt they were justified by the performance. The team played exceptionally well until the last 10 minutes when they sat too deep.

"I know they can backfire but these are the risks you've got to take when you sit in the manager's seat.

"I had to ask myself whether my players were getting too comfortable and expecting to be picked.

"You don't just make changes for change's sake.

"Sometimes players need a kick up the backside and I thought last week was the time to do just that."

Now, with Paul Warhurst and Mike Whitlow joining Ricardo Gardner and Robbie Elliott on the comeback trail next week, Allardyce will have even more scope to shake things up, as and when he sees fit.