SAM Allardyce has come a long way in a short time since he marked his 45th birthday by picking up the managerial reins at the Reebok.

Today he stands on the threshold of the first leg of a dream double.

He has achieved one ambition already by taking his team to Wembley but, the way he's gone about his business over the last five months, he won't stop at that.

Only the brave would write off Wanderers' chances of making up the ground on Birmingham and Huddersfield to claim that last play-off place. And then, as they say, anything can happen.

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"For that team to be Bolton Wanderers is an even greater honour. I moved to the town at 15, married a Bolton girl and I'm still here."

Allardyce refuses to let emotion cloud his judgment nor the occasion distract him from his prime target.

"We're going right to the wire," he warned Wanderers' play-off rivals. "We could easily have faltered after the Worthington Cup semi-finals but we came through that, steadied things in the league and started moving again."

Anyone still doubting Allardyce and his Wanderers do so at their peril.

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