Chelsea performance director Mike Forde has recalled how Bolton Wanderers managed to sign Nicolas Anelka.
Forde was with the Trotters and former manager Sam Allardyce for several years before leaving the Reebok.
He told chelseafc.com: "Sam Allardyce was also a huge asset, the way he interacted with the players and dealt with players, with an open mind about issues and age.
"'It was never about money because other clubs could come in and match us. The acid test is maybe Nicolas Anelka, who came in at 27 to the lowest-ranked club he had ever played for, and we sold it to him, the coach, the programme, the two-year plan to get back to a big club, and it worked."
