With Allardyce hitherto struggling to work his customary cunning in the transfer market, Bolton hinted at a side that had passed its peak as a top-six contender. Yet despite the lack of numbers, the Bolton boss talked up the quality that still remains in his squad and they duly responded by comfortably seeing off a Tottenham team which is expected to challenge the monopoly of the big four.
They almost did it last season, only to fall sick at the final hurdle and gift their Champions League place to Arsenal, and since then manager Martin Jol has invested close to £20m on the free-scoring striker Dimitar Berbatov and midfield holding player Didier Zokora.
That investment, covered by the sale of Michael Carrick to Manchester United, has time to pay off, but neither player found it easy on their competitive debuts as it was left to Bolton stalwarts Kevin Davies and Ivan Campo to take the plaudits with goals inside the opening 14 minutes.
Campo’s stunning long- range effort will take some beating over the ensuing months and when it comes to buying from abroad nobody knows better than Allardyce what it takes to compete in the Premiership.
If nothing else, last night proved that if he is able to make his usual 11th-hour purchases ahead of the transfer deadline and bring in the three new players he wants then Bolton will again be nobody’s fools.
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“But for a couple of brilliant saves from Paul Robinson it could actually have been more and with Tottenham so fancied this year it’s a terrific result for us. I thought we made Tottenham look very ordinary, which is great credit to our players,” said Allardyce.
Tottenham might have chosen easier places to try and bed in their reshuffled side, having never won in the Premiership at Bolton, and their chances of reversing that trend soon looked remote as the home side came flying out of the blocks.
On the opening day of last season Davies and Campo both scored inside the first eight minutes at Villa Park and even though it took them a fraction longer this time the shock waves were probably more intense given their opponents’ lofty aspirations.
Allardyce is scouring Europe to try and find a goalscorer, but the tried and tested figure of Davies did his bit to buy his manager some breathing space by heading the opening goal in the most English of fashions direct from a Gary Speed corner after Bolton had only reported for set-piece training on the morning of the game.
If that goal energised the home supporters, who have had little to whet their appetite over the summer, the second brought the house down.
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Campo is something of a cult figure at the Reebok stadium. The Spaniard has always been happy to have a crack at goal, but never in his four years in English football can he have struck a ball sweeter than the one which flew past Robinson from close to 40 yards.
The England goalkeeper cannot have enjoyed the experience, but a flying save from a Speed free-kick 10 minutes before half-time at least kept his side interested as Berbatov started to hint at a riposte at the other end.
It proved to be a fleeting threat, however, and if the Bulgarian international is to deliver the goals expected then he will need to do his best work in the penalty area, rather than dropping deep as he did too often here.
His only scoring chance came and went when Jussi Jaaskelainen, the Bolton keeper, took the ball from his toe as Tottenham tried to stage a late rally when Jol had introduced the Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane as a fourth forward.
A fully fit Keane will add a cutting edge missing from a strangely subdued Jermain Defoe, with only Aaron Lennon, who improved as the game went on in a free-ranging role, really stretching the Bolton back line.
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“If you go to Bolton you have to compete with them and they were stronger than us physically. The first goal showed that,” said Jol, who felt a foul on Calum Davenport should have been spotted as he was blocked off in his pursuit of Davies.
“Then they scored a terrific second goal, which meant they could wait for us. It’s difficult to play against that and it’s difficult to break down,” Jol added.
Bolton, who let that lead slip at Villa 12 months ago to finish with only a point, were more resolute this time and while generally looking to protect what they had, would have added a third goal but for a superb save from Robinson to keep out El Hadji Diouf’s point-blank header.
Bolton 2 Tottenham 0
Star Man: Ivan Campo (Bolton)
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Player Ratings: Bolton: Jaaskelainen 6, Hunt 6, Ben Haim 6, Meite 6, Fortune 7, Nolan 7, Campo 8, Speed 7, Diouf 6, Davies 7 Vaz Te 6
Tottenham: Robinson 5, Lee 5 (Huddlestone 75min,6) Dawson 6, Davenport 5, Ekotto 6, Jenas 5, Zokora 5 (Keane 60min,6) Davids 6, Lennon 6, Berbatov 7, Defoe 5
Scorers: Bolton: Davies 9, Campo 13
Referee: P Dowd
Attendance: 22,899