Bolton Fail To Land Trio

By Mark Heys
August 31 2005

Sam Allardyce's summer of transfer frustration continued right up until deadline day as he missed out on three potential new signings for various reasons.

Firstly Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside pulled the plug on a deal to bring Southampton winger Fabrice Fernandes to the Reebok Stadium citing financial reasons and then Feyenoord blocked a move to bring Japanese ace Shinji Ono over to England on loan.

Furthermore Juventus' Croatian Igor Tudor has snubbed The Trotters in favour of a loan move to fellow Italian side Siena leaving Allardyce with a race against time to make new additions before the window closes this evening.

Speaking of the Fernandes snub agent Willie McKay told Sky Sports that he is baffled at the last minute change of heart.

"All I was told was that Phil Gartside pulled the plug on the deal for financial reasons. He is a cheap player for £6,000 a week as he can play on the left or right side of midfield and he has proved himself in The Premiership. He is still only 25-years old and I believe he would have been a valuable addition to Bolton."

Ono was hoping to put the disappointment of not moving to the Premiership behind him
by helping Feyenoord to success in the Dutch Erivedse.

"I'm now totally focused on Feyenoord again, There's just one thing that's important now and that's becoming champion with this club."

As for Tudor he always seemed against a move to the Reebok Stadium from the start especially as he didn't even show up for talks. Now he has now got his wish to remain in Italy.

In other news ex-Wanderer Delroy Facey has quit Oldham Athletic after less than six months at Boundary Park. He joins up with fellow League One side Tranmere Rovers to make the Wirrall club his fifth employer since leaving Bolton just under 18 months ago.