WHEN you sign an established Premiership player on a free transfer, you know you have pulled a master-stroke in the transfer market. Just ask Sam Allardyce.

The canny Wanderers manager swooped to sign Anthony Barness on a Bosman free transfer and strengthen his defensive line-up in one fell swoop after the former Chelsea full-back decided to leave the Valley owing to a lack of first-team opportunities.

The move has mutual benefits as Bolton and Barness both set their sights on playing regular Premiership football. Barness could easily be a regular in the Premiership if it weren't for the unexpected rise to first-team level of Greg Shields. Shields was brought in from non-league at the start of last season and his form was so impressive, Barness hardly featured. When Shields was injured, Barness pulled on the number two jersey, but it wasn't enough.

Barness explains: "I could have stayed at Charlton and played the odd game but I had more ambition than that and wanted first team football in a first division side that's going places. I did speak to (Charlton manager) Alan Curbishley at the end of last season and he didn't know how much I would play. He had £14m to spend and I decided it was time to move and the transfer to Bolton allows me to travel up north and see what it's like up here, after playing in London for most of my career."

Barness flirted with northern football during a loan spell with Middlesbrough but has plied his trade predominantly in the southern end of the country.

Chelsea, Southend and more recently Charlton are the full-back's former clubs and Allardyce is pleased to have got such a proven performer without having to sign any cheques.

The Reebok manager enthused: "He has got great First Division experience as well as experience of promotion with a championship winning side. He is a player who can play in two or three different positions if need be and he is also a very good age for us."

Barness is hoping Wanderers can add a bit more consistency to their game from last year as they aim to climb the league ladder saying: "I played against Bolton last year and they looked a good team. Bolton were one of the teams we (Charlton) feared and a bit more consistency at the start and they could have gone on and challenged us more."

That is high praise from a man who saw many outstanding teams in the Division One promotion shake-up at first-hand.

Barness saw the move away from London a challenge and the lure of the Reebok was too hard to turn down. "I knew about the Reebok before I came here and the training facilities across the road helped make my decision to move away from my home in London easier," he said. " Hopefully we can fill the place by playing good football on our way to the Premiership," added Barness.

The move to sign Barness was on the cards after Allardyce failed to lure Nicky Eaden to the Reebok and the versatile defender can fill in in many positions across the back-four. "I can play at right or left-back and maybe even wing-back but I see myself as a defender and going forward is a bonus. I feel I am definitely suited to the 4-4-2 system, though."

Every defender on the Reebok books can consider Barness a rival for his first team shirt - and that's competition that can only be good for the squad, the manager and ultimately the supporters.