MARK Fish shook hands with Sam Allardyce today after accepting Wanderers' offer of a new contract.

The South African defender, who revealed yesterday that he was contemplating retirement, has agreed a three-year extension to his current contract, which expires at the end of this season.

"It's fantastic news," the Wanderers' boss said after emerging from a morning meeting with the 26-year-old centre-back.

"We shook hands on the deal and Mark will sign the contract tomorrow.

"From my point of view it's like signing a new player. We've secured the services of a quality international and it's one less problem I have to worry about."

Fish, who has expressed a desire to gain UK citizenship and settle here with his wife and son, had been agonising over his future - whether to accept the new contract offer, keep his options open or to quit the game to pursue a business venture in South Africa.

The manager has convinced him his best interests will be served by picking up the new deal.

Allardyce, who persuaded club captain Gudni Bergsson to postpone his planned retirement in the summer, has assured Fish that, should he still want to quit the game at some point during the course of his new contract, Wanderers will not stand in his way.

The manager insists: "There's nothing to stop Mark signing his contractthen taking time to decide his future."

Fish becomes the third key member of the Wanderers' squad to agree contract extensions in the last two months, following team-mates Jussi Jaaskelainen and Ricardo Gardner' lead.

And it means Allardyce is on course to complete the hat-trick of signings he set his sights on last weekend after Wanderers beat Portsmouth to extend their unbeaten start to the season with a sixth successive win.

Nantes central defender John Gope-Fenepej signed a three-month loan deal yesterday and Mutui Adepoju, the 29-year-old captain of Nigeria, will complete his move from Real Sociedad as soon as the formalities of his work permit application are completed.