As Sam Allardyce pondered a return to his old stomping ground, he said “it sticks in my teeth” to refer to the home of Bolton Wanderers as the Macron Stadium, then corrected himself when he remembered that the sportswear manufacturer also has its name on the kit of his new club, Crystal Palace. It was an amusing and forgivable slip from a man who had plenty of other things on his mind before an FA Cup tie that gave him cause to reflect on how far he has come in his career while figuring out how much work he has to do at Palace.
It is nearly a decade since Allardyce walked out of what was then called the Reebok Stadium, bringing an end to a managerial reign of almost eight years during which he delivered the most success that Bolton have had since the days of Nat Lofthouse. He had previously made more than 200 appearances for the club during two spells as a player but it is his feats as a manager that will ensure he receives a warm welcome back, the rancour over his departure having long since vanished.
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