SAM Allardyce recalled painful memories of the past as he prepared for an FA Cup showdown with his old mate, Brian Talbot.

They will be rivals at Boundary Park on Sunday, but 14 years ago they were the victims of a famous giant-killing that almost wrecked their managerial careers.

The Hawthorns was the venue, the occasion a third round FA Cup tie in January 1991, and the destroyer-in-chief was a previously unknown striker by the name of Tim Buzaglo. He scored a hat-trick for Woking as the non-league minnows beat West Brom - then of the old Third Division - 4-2.

Talbot, who had managed the Baggies for two and a half years, was sacked two days later and Allardyce, his assistant, went with him.

It was a morale-shattering experience that left both men deeply wounded, raising doubts that they would ever manage in England again.

"I found myself in a wilderness for a few months and could have easily been lost to the game, and so could Brian," Allardyce said. "And it was all down to the FA Cup and Tim Buzaglo.

"I had the shock of being sacked for the first time and found it difficult to cope with life after that. Brian had got me off and running with my first full-time coaching appointment and suddenly I was out there without any real substance or credibility as a coach.

"Life was hugely difficult. I had my pubs here in Bolton and they helped me, financially, for a short period but I spent the best part of 18 months unemployed.

"I worked at Bury for nowt with my old mate Walshy (ex-Wanderer Mike Walsh), just to keep my hand in, and spent seven or eight months managing Limerick in Ireland, just to stay in football. But it took me a long time to get over the mental anxiety.

"Brian ended up in Malta before coming back and doing a great job at Rushden. But it was hard for both of us getting back."

Understandably, the West Brom experience has made Allardyce wary of the perils of giant-killings.

Woking, of the old Vauxhall League, were ranked four divisions lower than Albion in football's pyramid and should not have had a prayer at The Hawthorns.

So he will insist on Wanderers treating Oldham, and Talbot in particular, with the respect they deserve.

"What we went through together was difficult to take at the time," the Bolton boss said. "But we came back and not everybody can say that.

"Statistics produced by the League Managers Association show that of 400-plus managers sacked over the last four years, less than 40 are still working in football.

"We are the lucky ones - or, as I prefer to say, the insane ones."