EPL 30th anniversary : Allardyce recalls nostalgic moments with magical ex-Nigeria captain

Former Super Eagles midfielder and captain Austin Jay Jay Okocha was the player that made the most impact at Bolton Wanderers under the management of Sam Allardyce.

Allardyce revealed to Sky Sports on the occasion of the Premier League's 30th anniversary that he "thoroughly enjoyed" the time he worked with the Nigerian when he oversaw the most successful period in the club's history.

When he arrived at Bolton Wanderers, Okocha instantly became a fan favorite and dazzled the crowd with his mesmerizing skills and top-notch playmaking.

The three-time World Cupper made 144 appearances and scored 18 goals during a memorable four-year spell at Bolton Wanderers.

"The global phenomenon that the Premier League became meant that most players across the world wanted to play in it, " Allardyce told Sky Sports, via Bolton News.

"I was fortunate enough to go and pick out some of the players who were absolutely outstanding for Bolton in that time.

"I think probably the one who stood out the most for everybody was Jay Jay Okocha because of his ability and skill, and the entertainment that he actually brought to the Premier League, not just for Bolton fans of course.

"He was, for me, a fantastic captain. (We had) a fantastic array of players over the years and like I said before, I thoroughly enjoyed working there."

Aside Okocha, Bolton boasted an array of stars, including Ivan Campo and Youri Djorkaeff who were also fan favourites.

Okocha was named captain of Bolton in 2003 and under his on-pitch leadership, Bolton reached their first Cup final in nine years, losing to Middlesbrough in the 2004 League Cup final.

Izuchukwu Michael

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