Southend United boss Phil Brown has declared Sam Allardyce a "tactical genius".

Brown worked with the West Ham United manager at Bolton Wanderers.

"Sam is well into his stats. He got kicked out of school at 14 because he had dyslexia, but they thought he was thick. He's got a degree now though. He's a statistical genius.

"Fortunately for football he managed to ply his trade as a player, and then as a manager. As far as I am concerned he's as good as Arsene Wenger, if not better."