Stelios Aims For Cup Final Involvement

Last updated : 25 February 2004 By Mark Heys
(c) Empics
Bolton Wanderers midfielder Stelios Giannakopoulos has handed the club a boost by returning to training ahead of the important Carling Cup Final with Middlesbrough this weekend.


The Greek international has missed the clubs last three games due to an ankle injury sustained at the end of January in the win against Charlton Athletic but manager Sam Allardyce will now be able to take the former Olympaikos player to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium to link up with the rest of the squad.

The 30-year old played a key part in the Wanderers semi final success over Aston Villa by scoring a spectacular third goal which sent the club on their way to only their second final in the competition.

Bolton will now have a full strength squad to choose from for final day with only long term absentees Ricardo Gardner and Florent Laville missing the game through cruciate knee ligament injuries. Recent signings Steve Howey and Jon Otsemobor are also ineligable having played for Leicester City and Liverpool respectively in earlier rounds.