SAM Allardyce’s signings didn’t all work out at Wanderers – and some gambles most certainly did not pay off.

As the former Whites boss announces his retirement from management we asked fans to nominate some of his less successful recruitment choices.

Here, we present the top 10 picks.

10. Chris Armstrong: Fruitless best describes the year ex-Crystal Palace and Tottenham striker would spend at Bolton Wanderers.

Signed just before the transfer deadline in 2002, the former £4.5million striker was lacking fitness on arrival at the Reebok and featured just once, in a home defeat against Bury in the League Cup.

9. Andy Campbell: A pre-Kevin Davies target man who was an England Under-21 international when he turned up on loan from Middlesbrough. Three starts and six games later he was sent packing back to Teesside.

8. Oscar Perez: Signed from Spanish third division side Cordoba on deadline day in 2006, the midfielder’s move didn’t make much sense then, and doesn’t now.

7. Fabrice Fernandes: A short Wanderers stint came to an end in January 2006, after which the French winger was better known for being one of the deals investigated by Quest – Lord Stevens’ football transfer enquiry.

6. David Thompson: Through little fault of his own, the former Liverpool midfielder will always be known as the player Allardyce got, when he wanted a superstar. Signed in January 2007 when Big Sam wanted a push to the Champions League, the diligent Scouser made little impact.

5. Blessing Kaku: An infrequent Nigeria international picked up in summer 2004. Three appearances later, he was off.

4. Gerald Cid: Would have ranked higher in the list had Allardyce seen him play but after arranging the French defender’s move, he quit as manager and Sammy Lee was left to pick up the pieces. Not a player who will be remembered with much fondness.

3. Akin Bulent: Best known for his training ground scrap with Bernard Mendy than anything he did on the pitch, even Sam Allardyce branded the Turkish midfielder’s time at Bolton as a “disappointment.”

2. Ibrahim Ba: A winger with an impressive CV on his arrival at Wanderers on loan from AC Milan in 2003, who did not come cheap. His contribution was negligible, less than half his 16 appearances coming off the bench. But on the plus side, his name was cheap to put on the back of your shirt.

1. Mario Jardel: The benchmark in failed signings in the Allardyce era and one which is still hard to fathom. The Brazilian striker looked on course to rule the world after banging goals in at Sporting Lisbon and breaking into the national team but his meteoric rise stopped quickly in its tracks.

After injuring himself jumping into a pool – Allardyce took the plunge and looked to revive his fortunes. He started just four games, failed to find any semblance of fitness and ended up with some unfortunate nicknames.