A CAREER-threatening injury could prove to be one of the secrets of Bolton Wanderers' success this season!

Last February winger Ricardo Gardner's campaign was brought to a shuddering halt at Barnsley.

A cruciate ligament injury meant the lanky Jamaican faced months of intensive rehabilitation and there was a big question mark over whether he would be as good a player on his return from such a major injury.

He isn't.

In fact he's even better and one of the main reasons behind his startling improvement is that Gardner has bulked out.

"One of the things he worked on when he was out injured was to develop his upper body strength," explained Reebok boss Sam Allardyce.

"Ricky is now seven or eight pounds heavier than he was before the injury and that weight is all muscle."

Gardner, who went to the United States for treatment, was back in action after an amazingly quick eight-month recovery programme and his performances have helped propel Wanderers to second in the table.

"He is a great dribbler," said Allardyce.

"You are never quite sure what to expect from wingers like him and neither does the opposition.

"But he also has the ability to keep hold of the ball and that can give the team as a whole a breather, which is important.

"He can also chip in with goals." Goals have not been a problem for summer signing Michael Ricketts.

The striker joined from Walsall in the summer as a replacement for the Chelsea-bound Eidur Gudjohnson and has already bagged 12 this season.

"Michael has made a fantastic start to his career at Bolton," said Allardyce, who admitted to having been a little bit surprised at quite how successful his £200,000 signing has been.

"He is averaging better than a goal every two games.

"It will be great if we can get another striker -- like Dean Holdsworth -- getting into double figures too."

Ricketts was suspended for the opening game of the season at the Reebok when Burnley earned a 1-1 draw and he could miss the rematch after struggling recently with a virus.

Allardyce was at Turf Moor for the Burnley versus Rovers clash and expects more of the same sort of whole-hearted commitment tomorrow.

"I think it will be a similar sort of game," he said.

"It will be frantic and extremely tense."

And the Bolton boss -- like many before him this season -- was quick to praise what the Clarets have achieved this season following their promotion last season.

"Burnley have done magnificently.

"Stan has got the best out of his lads and everyone knows to expect a tough game from Burnley at Burnley.

"The team as a whole is well organised.

"Up front Andy Payton has been a major force." Top of Allardyce's Christmas wish list is to see his side go through the Christmas period undefeated.

"We have four games -- three against sides at the top of the table -- two of which are local derbies," said Allardyce.

"If we can go undefeated in that period the points will look after themselves."

Allardyce acknowledges that the festive period will be crucial to his side's hopes of claiming what appears to be the only remaining automatic promotion spot behind Fulham.

"On Saturday we have to go to Burnley and on New Year's Day we are at Preston and in between we play West Brom, clearly this is a very important period for us and will have a big bearing on our season as a whole."