SAM Allardyce today hailed 2005 as a "record" year for Wanderers.

He told the fans to enjoy the good times while they could and warned the Reebok money men that it could all end unless serious investment is made in the squad.

Allardyce has good reason to look back at the past 12-months with pride, despite ending the year on a sour note on Saturday.

The Whites have taken 66 points from 36 Premiership games, making it the most successful calendar year in living memory for Wanderers. The statistics echo the rising confidence enjoyed at the Reebok where another high-flying Premiership season approaches its midway point and the club is unbeaten in its first ever season in Europe.

Allardyce justifiably points to 66 points from 36 Premiership games as the kind of form which would take a club into the Champions League.

His message to the fans is to savour the moment as it will be hard to keep it up, especially if past levels of investment in players are not significantly increased.

He says that neither the fans nor his own bosses who hold the purse strings should take anything for granted. He hopes money will be made available to strengthen the side to give him the chance to continue building Whites into a force to be reckoned with at home and abroad.

He wants to move into the transfer market right away, to cover for the four African players who will be unavailable for the next four to six games because of African Nations Cup commitments.

He said: "We must not lose sight of the fact that we have just had the most successful calendar year in living memory.

"We have had such a great year. Let's rejoice in that last 12 months and realise how fortunate we have been.

"I've always said I wanted to create history here, but we're doing more than that.

"The target now is to carry it on in 2006.

"We know it's going to be very tough but with the right personnel and with the right attitude there's no reason why we can't achieve it all again. After reviewing 2005, it's just a pity that those 36 games did not come in the one season instead of a calendar year.

"Because if you saw it in a one season league table you would be talking about 'a world record' as far as this club's concerned.

"We're creating history but there's more to it than that when you look at what's been achieved with such limited resources as far as investment in players is concerned.

"The club now has to start to invest. That is my hope for the New Year.

"We need to invest now in football which is something that hasn't really happened before.

"We cannot keep achieving what we are achieving on such limited investment.

"We're not operating in the same football market as we have in the past. The market has changed considerably.

"We as a club have had the best year we've ever had so I believe that now is the time to build on that and that's where the investment comes in.

"Without that, after all we've achieved in 2005, come the middle of February 2006, we could be in disaster mode in terms of results.

"Just because we're doing well now I can't accept we shouldn't be investing.

"Everybody should enjoy this while they can. They shouldn't waste five years before they look back and fully appreciate what they've been watching."

Allardyce said the fragility of Wanderers' situation will be there for all to see if they fail to find cover for Radhi Jaidi, Jay Jay Okocha, Abdoulaye Faye and El-Hadji Diouf who will miss a minimum of four matches and a maximum of six during the African Nations Cup.

Monday's game against Liverpool was the last one they were able to play in before joining up with their national squads.

Allardyce said: "We will have 15 outfield players. And with injuries and suspensions it is going to be difficult for us.

"We will have to see what we can do in January and February, see if we can cope and hope the boys come back from Africa and are not too fatigued.

"I'm glad we have the points cushion that we have given ourselves but it could be wasted because of the four players we are going to lose.

"And that would be a shame because this could be our best season yet."

Of those 36 games in 2005, Wanderers have won 19, drawn nine and lost eight, giving an average points return per game of 1.83.

They have scored 46 goals, conceded 33 and kept 16 clean sheets, six in the second half of last season and 10 in the first half of the current campaign.

Wanderers began the year in 14th place and finished it in seventh, tangible evidence of the progress the club has made on the playing side.