Okocha named Sam Allardyce’s best Bolton signing ahead of Anelka, Djorkaeff

Former England manager Sam Allardyce has revealed that Jay-Jay Okocha was the best player he managed during his time at Bolton Wanderers, Afrik-Foot reports.

Allardyce made the unsurprising choice while taking part in a blind ranking of several famous players who played for Bolton during his time as manager. The list included some big names in world football.

Among them was Youri Djorkaeff, who was part of France’s 1998 World Cup-winning squad. Djorkaeff was a brilliant attacking player and enjoyed a strong spell at Bolton.

But Allardyce still ranked him below Okocha.

The former Bolton boss placed Djorkaeff in second position. Nicolas Anelka came third, followed by Ivan Campo in fourth and Kevin Nolan in fifth.

At the top of the list was Okocha.

During the early 2000s, Okocha and Djorkaeff played together at Bolton and formed a memorable midfield partnership with Campo. Their creativity and technical ability helped the club compete strongly in English football.

At that time, Allardyce was building a team that mixed experienced international stars with hardworking British players. Okocha quickly became the heart of that team, dazzling fans with his dribbling skills, vision and leadership.

Their best moment came in 2004 when Bolton reached the final of the League Cup. Although they lost the final to Middlesbrough, the journey to Wembley remains one of the club’s most memorable achievements in modern times.

👑 1⃣ So good they named him twice. You voted @IAmOkocha the best ever player at Reebok/Macron Stadium. Sit back and enjoy… #BWFC 🐘 🏰 pic.twitter.com/6cTMltAY8k

— Bolton Wanderers (@OfficialBWFC) September 29, 2017

Okocha’s unforgettable legacy at Bolton

Okocha joined Bolton in the summer of 2002 after leaving Paris Saint‑Germain on a free transfer following the FIFA World Cup.

Despite arriving without a transfer fee, the Nigerian playmaker quickly became one of the most important players in the club’s history.

In his first season, injuries slowed him down at times, but his quality was clear for everyone to see. He scored seven goals and played a key role in helping Bolton avoid relegation from the Premier League.

One of those goals, scored in an important win against West Ham United, was later voted the club’s Goal of the Season. Years later, supporters also selected it as Bolton’s greatest Premier League goal.

Fans loved Okocha so much that the club even printed shirts with the famous message: “Jay-Jay – so good they named him twice.”

His influence grew even stronger the following season when he was named club captain after Guðni Bergsson retired. As captain, Okocha led Bolton to the 2004 League Cup final, their first major final in nine years.

Over four seasons with the club, Okocha made 145 appearances and scored 18 goals, including 14 in the Premier League.

Even after leaving in 2006, his impact on the club remained strong. In 2017, Bolton supporters voted him the greatest player ever to play at the Reebok (now Macron) Stadium.

Beyond Bolton, Okocha also enjoyed a remarkable international career with Nigeria. He earned 73 caps for the national team between 1993 and 2006 and played in three FIFA World Cups.

Today, he is widely regarded as one of Africa’s greatest footballers and one of the most skilful dribblers the game has ever seen.