SAM Allardyce admitted today that he might not be able to fend off the asset strippers now that Wanderers are resigned to another season of Division One football. As his Reebok chiefs counted the cost of last night's dramatic and controversial play-off defeat at Ipswich, the manager braced himself for the anticipated flood of offers for the stars of the heroic but ultimately unsuccessful promotion bid.

The break-up of the team that kept the dream alive to the point of leading 3-2 at Portman Road with just 30 seconds of normal time remaining, now looks inevitable.

Allan Johnston and Michael Johansen are contracted to join other clubs and Gudni Bergsson and Paul Ritchie are considering their futures.

But Allardyce was referring to the likes of Eidur Gudjohnsen, Claus Jensen, Mark Fish and Jussi Jaaskelainen - all with Premiership abilities - when he looked ahead to what is widely expected to be a summer of big money sales.

"Despite having had a fantastic season, we just might not be able to stave off the massive bids that are likely to come for some of the players," he warned. "Getting into the Premiership would have put this club on a great footing and would have meant we'd have had an easier job keeping the players here.

"But now, if the big book (chequebook) comes in, I'm not sure if we will be able to resist it."

Scotland inernational Ritchie, who goes into hospital on Saturday for surgery on the hernia problem he has been carrying for weeks, offered a note of encouragement when he said he has not ruled out the possiblility of turning his temporary stay at the Reebok into a more permanent arrangement. "I've had nearly six months here, got my place back in the Scotland squad, been to Wembley and had a marvellous time at an excellent club," he acknowledged.

"I've got to sit down and discuss things with my family but I'm not ruling anything out."