SAM Allardyce is worried about Wanderers' ability to win trophies in the future if the rich clubs continue to spend big and wisely.

Allardyce desperately wants his side to clinch some silverware this season.

He says it will take the club up to another level. But he is also aware that it may only get more difficult to win things in the future.

Many expect Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal to pull away from the rest of the Premiership because of their spending power and current powerful squads.

Allardyce believes Spurs could be knocking on the door of that elite bunch, following a huge transfer outlay on mainly young players.

And, far from making the Premiership a better league, Allardyce says such dominance by a few clubs would make the top flight duller.

Allardyce would love to guide Wanderers to the FA Cup Final more than anything else this season, while they are still going strong in the UEFA Cup, and next season Champions League football could also be on.

It has been tough to get so far in three competitions, particularly to keep the ball rolling with so many players injured and away on African Cup of Nations duty in recent weeks.

The job is going to get harder if Wanderers are to win anything this season.

And Allardyce believes the degree of difficulty for clubs the size of Bolton to achieve success in the future will only increase if the rich clubs continue to splash out huge sums of money on the right players.

"Power is money in the game just like it is anywhere in the world," the Wanderers boss said.

"It's difficult for clubs like ours and if big spending by the top clubs keeps continuing in the future, it could be a bigger closed shop than ever before.

"And that might by a little dangerous for the excitement and the attraction of the Premiership.

"What happens is always going to depend on the spending power of clubs and then it will depend on how well clubs spend that money.

"If all the top clubs get that right, it will become very difficult indeed for clubs like us to compete for fourth spot.

"They have to spent it right and people have spent it wrong in the past.

"You have to put Tottenham in the same bracket as those other four clubs now because they have spent heavily on the younger end of the market.

"They are right up there at the moment and they will hope that their investment in young players for the future will mean a continuation of that position.

"We are competing at the top end of the table at the moment, but quite how long we can do it is questionable if that sort of money keeps being invested in those clubs.

"Spending power is very important to any football club - but you can see the importance of how it is spent by the shrewd way Alan Pardew and Paul Jewell have spent their money this season at West Ham and Wigan.

"Thats got them in the top half of the Premiership."