DAVE Jones is thanking his lucky stars and stripes for Stuart Holden.

The Sheffield Wednesday boss stunned Wanderers fans on Thursday by snapping up the American midfielder on a month’s loan.

Holden is poised to sign a new contract at the Reebok and had been on the cusp of regular first-team football. But Dougie Freedman opted to send him over the hills to South Yorkshire to get a potential six games under his belt before his return two matches before the regular season ends.

Jones was understandably delighted to have added the ball-winner to his side and admits he feels fortunate to have been able to sign the 27-year-old at this stage of his comeback from a long-term knee injury.

“He’s been playing for the reserves and he’s been on the bench for the first team but the boy just wants and needs games,” he said yesterday.

“We’re able to give him that. He’s chomping at the bit to get going again.

“The conversation I have had with him this morning is that it’s all about football. That’s most important thing for him.

“He’s quality on the ball, sees a pass and has a goal in him. It’s all you want.

“If he hadn’t have had the injury then we’d not have got him – that’s the bit of luck that you need sometimes.”

Holden joins fellow loanees Seyi Olofinjana and Brian Howard to aid the Owls’ survival fight and begins life at Hillsborough with a Yorkshire derby against Barnsley today.

Freedman confirmed he wanted Holden back and match sharp in time to potentially take part in the play-off games “We have offered him a new contract, we want him to be here and that’s hopefully getting tied up in the near future,” said the Wanderers boss.

“Hopefully he can go out to Sheffield Wednesday, get half a dozen games, then come back to Bolton Wanderers for a few more.”