SAM Allardyce was as influential to Wanderers 25 years ago as he is today,

Today's manager and yesterday's no-nonsense central defender, settled the Second Division match against Charlton Athletic at Burnden with a trademark header from a Peter Reid cross.

The win kept Wanderers in second place in the table and Ian Greaves' side were one of the favourites to land a promotion spot at the end of the season.

Greaves' immediate concern, however was an injury to midfield man Roy Greaves that threatened to keep him out of the midweek League Cup quarter final against Derby County at the Baseball Ground.

"It will be a blow for us if he's not fit to play at Derby as he's been playing so well," said Ian Greaves."

10 YEARS AGO: From the BEN Monday, November 29, 1991

WHAT a difference a goal makes.

Wanderers looked as though they were heading for another draw - their fourth in a row - when they came up against local rivals Preston North End at Burnden Park.

Yet David Reeves, with an acute sense of timing, settled the match with an injury time goal that did wonders for his team's confidence and his own self-esteem.

It was the striker's fourth goal in seven days and there was a sense that the player. who looked destined to play second fiddle to Tony Philliskirk, was ready to go on and steal the limelight.

5 YEARS AGO: From the BEN, Monday, November 25, 1996

ALAN Thompson returned from a three match suspension to help Wanderers pick up an impressive win over Sheffield United.

According to team-mate David Lee it was a display that proved Thompson's value to the promotion chasing side.

"The team is built around him and his display at Bramall Lane showed that we just can't afford to do without him," said Lee.

Thompson, however, was only one member of a midfield unit growing stronger with every game.

Manager Colin Todd was working hard in the transfer market to provide the club with a middle unit on which to build the side's promotion challenge. As well as Thompson, Todd could call on Per Frandsen, Michael Johansen, Scott Sellars and Andy Todd while Jamie Pollock had just joined the club in a £1.5m deal.