BOLTON Wanderers have been given a timely boost for next season with Gudni Bergsson's decision to sign a new contract.

The 31 year old Icelandic international defender pledged his future to the relegation threatened club by agreeing a two year deal.

Bergsson joined the club from Spurs just over a year ago but the expected drop back into the Endsleigh League has not curbed his enthusiasm for the Burnden Park club.

Even though the popular player has had a roller-coaster ride with the club.

Within a few days of signing he was making his debut at Wembley against Liverpool in the Coca-Cola final before making a return trip to the Twin Towers for the play-off final against Swindon.

This season he has been back in Premiership action and although Wanderers have suffered disappointments over the season, Bergsson's form has never dipped.

He is the only one of the relegation threatened first team squad whose contract expires this summer, and now that the deal has been done, it leaves manager Colin Todd to concentrate on next season's playing plans. Of course any offers for players may interrupt that with national newspaper speculation repeatedly linking Alan Stubbs with a big money move.

For the moment, however, Todd is delighted with Bergsson's decision, saying that the talks with the Icelander had been going on for while but in the end everyone was happy that the player was to stay with the club.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.