Big Sam absolutely delighted

Last updated : 12 May 2003 By FootyMAD
And, Allardyce kept his promise to dance with midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha on the Reebok pitch when top-flight football was assured.

"I don't know where to begin in describing the mix of emotions - I'm totally drained, absolutely delighted, so relieved, and emotionally unstable!

"You feel like the world has been lifted off your shoulders, and you are floating about six feet off the ground.

"It has been an unbelievably hard week. I've been like a gorilla around the place and everyone has been avoiding me.

"But somehow the players stayed relaxed and were in just the right frame of mind to get the job done.

"And I think we've done it with style. We scored two great goals despite playing under the most incredible pressure. But that sums up the way we've hauled ourselves out of danger.

"People expect the dogs of war approach, closing everyone down, and fighting for everything. Instead, we've played our way out of trouble, producing good football and outplaying the opposition.

"It all got a bit jittery when Michael Ricketts pulled one back for them but we made a couple of substitutions to help stabilise things, and we played out the game well in the end.

"Peter Reid rang me to say I'd either have the best night of my life or the worst. I think now it will be the best - and I'm not planning to get any sleep."


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