20th February 2010
Sam Ricketts believes the ghost of Sam Allardyce has finally been laid to rest at the Reebok Stadium. Wanderers come up against their former manager inSunday's re-arranged Premier League game at Ewood Park.
But Bolton is no longer 'Sam's Town' according to Welsh international Ricketts.
Indeed, the Trotters centre- half believes Big Sam's shadow looms more over Hull than it does Bolton;,“Coming from Hull and Phil Brown, everything was Sam Allardyce and Bolton there,”admits the ex-Tigers defender.
“It was mentioned nearlyevery day at Hull but he's hardly ever spoken of at Bolton now.”
Sunday's game is Bolton's second derby within five days and their eighth of the season.
But they've won only one – against Burnley at the Reebok last month.
Bolton striker Ivan Klasnic could come into contentionfor the game.
Klasnic, who has scored six goals this season after arriving on loan from Nantes, is on the mend after a calf injury.
Manager Owen Coyle may be tempted to name an unchanged side following the draw against Wigan in midweek.
Centre-back Chris Samba is Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce’s only absentee as he completes a two-match suspension.
Midfielder David Dunn, who has been out for the last four weeks with a calf injury, is fit again, and is poised for at least a place on the bench.
Fellow midfielder Vince Grella is closing in on a return after being sidelined since November with a thigh problem.
However, Yildiray Basturk is unlikely to figure as he is still short of match fitness following his transfer window move from Stuttgart.
Blackburn Rovers(from): Robinson, Jacobsen, Olsson, Chimbonda, Nelsen, Givet, Salgado, Pedersen, Grella, Nzonzi, Hoilett, Andrews, Emerton, Di Santo, Diouf, Kalinic, Jones, Brown, Reid, Roberts, Basturk.
Bolton Wanderers (from): Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Knight, Robinson, Gardner, Cohen, Weiss, Taylor, M Davies, Muamba, Wilshere, Lee, K Davies, Klasnic, A O’Brien, Al Habsi, Samuel, Basham, Elmander, Ricketts, Holden.
Blackburn league form: WWDLW
Bolton league form: LDLDD
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