Sam Allardyce will be an absentee when Blackburn Rovers visit his old club Bolton Wanderers tomorrow.

The Rovers' manager has recently complained of brief episodes of chest discomfort and investigations have revealed a narrowing to one branch of his coronary arteries.

Sam will next week undergo an angioplasty with the insertion of a stent to correct this narrowing.

He will also miss the upcoming games against Fulham (away) and Stoke (home), but is expected to be back in the dug-out for the Carling Cup quarter-final with Chelsea on Wednesday week.

Rovers' chairman John Williams said: "Sam is very disappointed, particularly at missing the Bolton fixture, but his well being is of prime consideration. We all appreciate that Premier League football is a stressful business and prevention is always better than cure."

In Sam's absence, assistant manager Neil McDonald will take charge of first team affairs.

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