MICHAEL Ricketts, whose crucial equaliser kept Wanderers off the foot of the Premiership table at the weekend, joined Bolton from Walsall for just £400,000 and became the club's star striker as his goals catapulted the Whites to promotion from the First Division.

But the jury was out as to whether he would be able to have the same effect upon the more sophisticated back lines found in the Premiership.

He answered any initial doubts with goals in each of his opening three games in the top flight and in helping the Whites to beat Liverpool he began Bolton's run of fabulous results against the top sides.

In September he bagged a goal at Arsenal and the following month he scored Bolton's famous winner at Old Trafford.

His excellent strike against Tottenham in early December alerted Glenn Hoddle to the forward's promise and around the time he was selected for England in February he was linked with a £10 million move to White Hart Lane, while Galatasaray, West Ham and Leeds were also linked.

In the same month he also rejected the offer of a new contract with Bolton. At the time Allardyce said: "It's obvious that his heart is no longer with the club. We will have to sell and to the highest bidder."

Wanderers were determined Ricketts would not leave on the cheap, aiming to avoid the situation which saw Eidur Gudjohnsen join Chelsea for £4 million in 2000, before proving himself one of the most talented strikers in the Premiership.

So when Spurs returned in the summer Phil Gartside described their £6 million offer as "laughable" and rejected it outright.

What price would they get for him now? With the transfer market collapsing, any fee would have, in all likelihood, decreased regardless of his performances this season.

But the fact is the player has simply not been scoring. Until this weekend's goal at Upton Park, his last goal in open play was against Chelsea in January - almost 12 months ago.

It has been suggested that his problems have been two-fold. Firstly, he was just enjoying banging goals in for Bolton and then the continued transfer speculation unsettled him. "Tottenham never really wanted him, they have upset Michael," said Allardyce after the Spurs deal fell apart.

Secondly came the unfair national media backlash against him following his performance for England, which Allardyce suggested had affected his confidence.

The 24-year-old's miserable time in front of goal for Wanderers was now almost equal to the period when he could do no wrong.

After the vital West Ham goal has the real Michael Ricketts finally come of age?