Sam Allardyce has criticised Bolton Wanderers' decision to postpone their midweek game against Doncaster Rovers.

The Trotters were due to play on Tuesday night just three days after the young Bolton squad lost 5-0 at Tranmere.

In the 0-0 draw with Coventry earlier in the season, Wanderers manager Phil Parkinson named their youngest ever starting XI.

Bolton currently have just one point from their opening games having not scored a single goal in the league campaign.

The club's administrator's released a statement about the postponement claiming that playing the youngsters again in such a short space of time would be "detrimental to both their welfare and development".

Allardyce managed Bolton for eight years and talking to Talksport said:

"The levels of fatigue will be quite high because they are playing at a level they have never played before.

"A crushing defeat at Tranmere would be mentally quite tough on them but when you have to grow as a player and a professional, things like this make you or break you and to stop them playing is a big blow for Bolton Wanderers, having overcome some real problems.

"It will put the focus back on them by not playing a fixture that they should have played and I think that is a real shame.

"They got a team on the pitch and they were playing and they got huge praise for the draw they got at home against Coventry, 0-0.

"When you have got the opportunity to play first-team football, which they never expected, then it would make them stronger and better players much, much quicker by this experience, even though it was a bad one.

"If they had enough players they should play the game, if they didn't have enough players then that is a different story."

The Verdict

It will be interesting to see whether the majority of Bolton fans agree with Allardyce's comments. He's eager to see the Wanderers continue to take to the field as they have enough players to put out a team.

It's important that Bolton don't overplay the youngsters but at the same time they have to stop postponing games (if not for financial reasons) for the sake of their supporters.

It's clearly a torrid time to be a Bolton supporter, but there is nothing better for a fan than watching your team walk out on the pitch before a game. Regardless of the circumstances.

Allardyce has a point, but he must be wary without knowing all of the details.