SAM Allardyce is cursing the Scots again, when he feared he had been pipped at the post by Celtic in the race to sign Stephane Henchoz.

The Wanderers boss had talks with the unsettled Liverpool defender earlier this week in the hope of persuading him to stay in the Premiership.

But he faced competition from a number of clubs and it emerged on Wednesday night that Henchoz, who once looked to be heading for Rangers, was set to join their Glasgow rivals.

If the deal goes through, it will be the third time in six months that Wanderers have lost out to the Old Firm in the transfer market.

Allardyce was furious last summer when Croatian striker, Dado Prso, moved from Monaco to Rangers. Wanderers claimed they had agreed a deal with Prso and they were almost as close to landing another of their top targets, Wolves striker Henri Camara, until he opted for Celtic.

Coincidentally, Camara is reported to be heading for Southampton on a loan deal.

Missing out on Henchoz would be a major blow for the Wanderers boss who saw the 30-year-old Switzerland international as an ideal recruit - vastly experienced with a good knowledge of the Premiership.

Now, having apparently failed in his bid to tempt Moscow Dynamo striker Dmitri Bulykin and not having the financial clout to coax Roma's 31-year-old defender Vincent Candela, he has just four more days to home in on alternative targets before Monday's transfer deadline.