GARY Megson saluted Sam Allardyce today for doing "an unbelievable" job against all the financial odds.

As West Brom and Wanderers prepared to go head-to-head at The Hawthorns tomorrow in one of the key battles in the fight for Premiership survival, Baggies' boss Megson drew parallels between the clubs whose fates have been intertwined in recent years.

Beaten in the dramatic play-off semi-final of 2001, when Wanderers went on to secure a place in the top flight, Albion followed the season after and, in similar fashion, are struggling to survive.

"Bolton's progress over the past few years has been similar to ours," acknowledged Megson, the manager who operates with the smallest squad in the Premiership "Bolton have had their financial problems too but Sam, along with his chairman Phil Gartside, have done an unvelievable job to sort that out and get them where they are .

"Bolton are quite clearly inter-linked with us. There was not a massive difference when we met in the play-offs and there isn't now."

One difference is that Wanderers were able to attract Spanish international striker Salva Ballesta after Albion failed.

The Valencia front man was a player Megson had set his heart on signing during the transfer window "because of his goals record".

" I think Sam has said the same thing," the Baggies boss explained. "He's got a great goalscoring record in Spain and that is priceless. He has a record that meets all the requirements."