SAM Allardyce claims he would never have allowed Wanderers to sell Nicolas Anelka had he still been in charge back in 2008.

It is 15 years since the Whites took a record £15million from Chelsea for the French striker who had been the club’s record purchase 18 months earlier.

Bolton had turned heads by paying £8m for the former Arsenal and Manchester City man, nearly doubling the previous high set when Allardyce brought El-Hadji Diouf in from Liverpool.

And Big Sam said the arrival of Anelka took his side to “another level” – albeit one he had little time to appreciate, given he had left the club less than a year later.

Big Sam only had positive things to say about his time working with Anelka, who turns 44 today, and believes the club’s decision to sell the Frenchman was ultimately a mistake.

“He came from Turkey and came to Bolton as the goalscorer we had been searching for for a while,” he told No Tippy Tappy Football Podcast. “It was the most money I spent at Bolton, I had never spent £8million on anybody before.

“We didn’t have £8million to spend on anybody before, but we managed to persuade the board to finally get their hands in their pockets. He just took us to another level. I didn’t have long enough with Nicolas because I left myself.

“I wouldn’t have done this but they sold him to Chelsea for £15million and lost one of the best goalscorers in European football - not just the Premier League - at the tender age of 28, in his prime.

“It was a pleasure working with him. Some have said he was sulky but he wasn’t with me or the rest of the lads. He fitted in great and hopefully enjoyed his time here.”

Anelka went on to spend four years at Stamford Bridge and also had stints at Shanghai Shenhua, Juventus and West Brom before hanging up his boots.

Allardyce also recalled his time working with Gary Speed, who sadly passed away more than a decade ago.

The midfielder was a hugely popular figure among Wanderers supporters, and Big Sam says his arrival was a “big moment” for the club.

“Sadly no longer with us, a tragic loss of his life. He still played like a 25-year-old but with the head of a 35-year-old,” he added.

“He was an example to the youngsters. He used to tell them off if he saw them slacking or not trying as hard as they should. Speedo would be at the front of everything, just with his talent on the field.

“He was great to manage. We got him from Newcastle and it was a big moment for us to bring in a player of his experience. Blending the British players with the foreign imports, it was a great period.”

Another player who thrived under Allardyce at Bolton was Jussi Jaaskelainen, earning a reputation as one of the best shot stoppers in the Premier League.

The goalkeeper wasn’t high up the pecking order when Big Sam arrived at the club, but there were already high hopes about his potential.

“Jussi was third choice at Bolton when I got there,” said the former boss. “I think he was one of Colin Todd’s last buys before he left.

“We had a goalkeeping coach, Fred Barber, at the time who said he was going to be a really good goalie, and he was right.

“We had Keith Branigan and Steve Banks ahead of him and when they left, Jussi came through to take us back in the Premier League and keep us there.

“I signed him again for West Ham when we got promoted to the Premier League. One of my bargain buys, we got him on a free.

“Of course, he was a goalkeeper who didn’t cost us anything who had years and years of Premier League experience.

“He was in his late thirties, which is not too old for a goalie these days. He did a great job for the three seasons he was there.”