Bolton boss Sam Allardyce has revealed he was approached by Newcastle before Graeme Souness was appointed manager.
“I was hugely flattered. It’s great to be associated with such a massive club,” he told the club’s website.
“There’s too much here to leave. I had a look at it, but I didn’t want to walk out and made the decision to stay. Time will tell if it’s the right decision.
“Perhaps it was the right club at the wrong time. It’s not just about ambition but also morals and loyalty.”
Allardyce admitted that Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd did not officially offer him the role, but he seems convinced that the job was his for the taking.
“If I’d pushed it hard or walked out, I might have got it”, he added.
However, Allardyce opted to remain with Bolton.
“I have taken this club by the scruff of the neck and dragged it out of the First Division and financial ruin to the heights of the Premiership,” he continued.
“When you have worked hard for five years to get to this position, it takes a lot of giving up.
“I am looking no further than trying to get this club to at least finish eighth as we did last season.
“Anything less would be a failure now, and at the end of this season I hope I am not looking back with disappointment.”
