WHAT a week for Bolton Wanderers! Three wins, three clean sheets and a place in the last eight of the FA Cup . . . not bad for eight days’ work.

The only down side was the injury Sam Ricketts picked up at Wigan last Wednesday and which is going to keep him out for the rest of the season. Coming on top of the injury Zat Knight suffered in the Premier League win over Everton three days earlier, it was a bitter blow for Owen who suddenly has a shortage of defenders.

More importantly though, it’s a blow for the lad himself who has done brilliantly since getting into the side on a regular basis when Gretar Steinsson was injured.

It’s all part and parcel of the game, of course, but you always feel for players when they face a long spell on the sidelines.

But he’s a great lad is Sam and, like Zat, his first thought will have been for the team – and neither of them could have received a better tonic than to look back on three great results in quick succession. And while there might be limitations at the back with two key players out of the reckoning, I think we’ve seen enough in the last few days to know that there is not only a great team spirit, but also a great deal of variety and versatility in the squad.

Paul Robinson, my unsung hero, has done a great job switching sides, allowing Marcos Alonso to come in on the left, Both of them did well in the latter stages at Wigan and at Fulham on Sunday.

And what about young Adam Bogdan?

Okay, Jussi Jaaskelainen will come back in at Newcastle on Saturday, but just imagine how the young lad’s confidence has been boosted by playing in two cup wins and keeping two clean sheets. You can’t buy that sort of experience. I know Owen tinkered with his side for the Wigan and Fulham games but he only did that because he had the confidence in his squad, knowing he could ring the changes yet still pick teams capable of winning the games.

I ENJOYED a front row seat last Wednesday night when Wigan’s DW Stadium staged its very own version of “Stars In Their Eyes”.

I went to the FA Cup tie with Owen Coyle’s two brothers, Joe and Gary, who came down from Scotland to give him some extra support.

Gary happens to be the spitting image of Owen and, not for the first time, people were giving him a double-take.

Funniest thing though was seeing the look on the fans’ faces just before kick off when we were taking our seats up in the stands. You knew what they were thinking . . . “Shouldn’t Owen Coyle be down in the dressing room getting his players psyched up for the big game?” Then the gaffer emerged from the tunnel and people suddenly started rubbing their eyes in disbelief.

Gary says it’s happening more and more to him the more success Owen has – and he admits he’s starting to get fed up, constantly having to correct people.

Owen can’t understand all the confusion. He reckons he’s much better looking than his kid brother.

CALL me old-fashioned if you like, but I’m not going to speculate over how much further we can go in the FA Cup.

I’m pretty superstitious to start with but I was brought up by people like Bruce Rioch who always used to put the cup on the back burner until it was time to prepare for the games. And I’m sure that’s what Owen Coyle will be doing now.

We’ve had two great results away from home against Premier League opposition in the space of five days and now we’re in the last eight.

That’s great, but there are still two important games to be played before we go to Birmingham – six precious league points to be played for.

I’d love to talk about it, but I don’t want to jinx anything, and for the same reason I certainly won’t be touching the cup if it comes to these parts.

We’ll have enough time to talk about Birmingham and the cup when the time comes – and not before.

FULL marks to Ivan Klasnic for responding so magnificently to Daniel Sturridge exploding onto the Reebok scene with three goals in his first three games.

Like young Daniel, Ivan’s a natural finisher. Give him a chance and he’ll take it – just like he did at Wigan and again on Sunday at Fulham.

It’s hard to single out any one player when you’ve had such a good all-round team performance like the one at Craven Cottage, but it’s your goalscorers who secure points or win you cup ties and, like we’ve seen so many times before, Ivan was given a chance to showcase his talents and he took it like the quality player he is.

Owen will be spoiled for choice when he sits down to select his team for Saturday’s trip to Newcastle.

I WILL be joining my friends at the Bolton Wanderers Supporters Association at the Reebok tonight when the fans pay their special tribute to Nat Lofthouse.

Nat had a special place in the hearts of all Bolton supporters and I’m sure the BWSA will pay a warm and fitting tribute to the great man at the most appropriate of venues, the Lion of Vienna Suite.