Allardyce warns Palace to respect Bolton

Sam Allardyce has warned Crystal Palace not to take his former club Bolton Wanderers lightly as he seeks his first victory in charge of his new club.

After a damaging 2-1 defeat to fellow relegation candidates Swansea City last time out, Allardyce is targeting his first win against a club where he enjoyed so much success over 16 years as a player and manager.

Yet speaking ahead of the FA Cup tie, Allardyce knows better than anyone the potential pitfalls that await Palace should they underperform.

“I have warned the players that Bolton could upset us if their attitude is not right,” he warned at his pre-match media conference. 

“These players need to show what they can do for the club, for their future.

“Phil [Parkinson]’s team will play their best game of the season against us and we need to be ready for that.”

The former England boss will field a team with plenty of experience as he seeks to overturn the poor run of form that saw Palace end 2016 with the worst record of any club in the Football League.

Allardyce continued: “Every player in the XI on Saturday has played Premier League football; there are no youngsters in there. 

“It is a team full of Premier League experience. It is a big opportunity for them.”

The return of Loic Remy could be a lift, with the Chelsea loanee finally recovered from a knee injury picked up two days after signing for the club in August. 

And Allardyce hopes the striker can provide the spark in front of goal his side have been so badly lacking. 

“Remy will play some part, not the whole game,” said Allardyce.

“Hopefully Loic will work well with Fraizer [Campbell]. It could be a good partnership.

“If he can hit the form and the heights that he’s hit in the Premier League before, he can lift our team and add a threat.”  

Allardyce had an eight-year stint as Bolton boss – taking the club to the League Cup final in 2004 and the UEFA Cup last 16 in 2006 – but his thoughts are only on a winning return.

He said: “My time at Bolton was fantastic. I didn’t want to go. It’s a fantastic stadium with fantastic fans, but I want to disappoint them. I want my team to win.”