Bolton Wanderers midfielder Kevin Nolan says he’s staying at the Reebok following manager Sam Allardyce’s resignation.

Nolan told BBC Sport: “I’m looking forward to being part of the next stage at Bolton.”

On Allardyce’s departure, he said: “Sam Allardyce gave me a call before it was announced he was leaving to say thank you and because as skipper he wanted me to know.

“It has been an unbelievable shock – I was gutted when I heard the news.

“I did not know what to say. It has not sunk in and probably won’t for the next week or so.

“I know he is going away for a while now. He is going to enjoy some time with his family.

“He said he wanted to take some time out and have a good summer. Come next season he might have something.”

On new manager Sammy Lee, the midfielder said: “He has a fantastic opportunity at a big club like us.

“Hopefully he can take off where Sam left off and keep us going forward and I’m sure he can do that. He will have my full support and I think he will be fantastic for the club.”

Bolton Wanderers have appointed assistant-manager Sammy Lee as their new manager. He replaces Sam Allardyce, who quit yesterday.

Lee told his club’s official website: “I’m delighted about the prospect of being Bolton manager. It is a great legacy that Sam has left and it is my job now to carry that forward.

“I am very proud to be sat here in front of everybody as the new manager of Bolton Wanderers.

“The education I’ve gained from working with Sam Allardyce has been immense. I have to continue what Sam has started, that’s first and foremost, and then re-evaluate it after that.

“It certainly is a healthy position that Bolton are in, we’re now contesting for a place in Europe.

“The main thing for us is to keep the players stable and to make sure that we get the result we firmly feel we deserve after all the hard work we’ve done this season.”

Norwich City manager Peter Grant is waiting to hear whether veteran striker Dion Dublin will extend his stay at Carrow Road.

Grant said: “The ball is in his court, with a contract offer on the table and I’m waiting for a decision. It’s not a football decision, it’s a family one.”

He added: “Dion’s family are still living in the Midlands and it’s a question of whether he wants to move here permanently.”

Sam Allardyce has resigned as manager of Bolton Wanderers.

Allardyce told Bolton’s official website: “After nearly eight privileged years with Bolton Wanderers Football Club, I would like to announce that, after careful consideration and dialogue with my close family and senior officials within the football club, I will be resigning as manager of the Club with immediate effect.

“It was mutually decided that I step down now rather than at the end of the season, to give my successor the ideal opportunity to experience the preparation and build up of matchday in readiness of next season.

“The decision to leave the football club, which has been my spiritual home for over 18 years, as both player and manager, is one of the hardest decisions I have had to make in my life.

“However, after guiding the team into a position where the Club is on the verge of qualification for European football for the second time in three years, which has been the accumulation of almost seven years of strategic building and hard work across all areas of the football club, I feel it is the right moment to step down from my duties and welcome a new exciting era for the Club under different leadership.

“I feel the club is in a great position to continue its upward trajectory with a talented internationally recognised squad, supported by an excellent Academy programme across all ages working under the guidance of a highly-skilled football management team.

“I believe the foundation of the next phase for the next development stage of the Club is well and truly in place. It is with this knowledge that I feel confident that I am moving on with my life content with a legacy that I have tried to create for this special club and I wish the owner, chairman, staff, players and above all the fans every success in the future.”