DEAN Holdsworth returns to Selhurst Park for the first time tomorrow determined to show his mates - old and new alike - that he's no expensive flop.

A £3.5 million transfer in October made the London-born striker one of the most expensive of Wimbledon's seemingly endless line of bank-busting exports.

Sadly, Wanderers' record signing would be the first to admit that he's still some way short of giving Colin Todd a return on his huge investment.

It's even been suggested by the rumour-mongers that he's so unhappy with his form and his situation that he's looking to get back to London. Speculation has even gone as far as to suggest that his former club, Wimbledon, and their landlords, Crystal Palace, could be competing for his signature. There's also talk - nothing more than that - of West Ham being interested.

The murmurings increased in volume when he was substituted after just 37 minutes of the Leicester game, prompting predictable stories in the tabloids that he was set to be axed for the big Reebok tussle with Arsenal.

But all along Todd had been at pains to point out that the substitution had been made purely on tactical grounds, no reflection on Holdsworth's performance, and restored him alongside the returning Nathan Blake on Tuesday night. Today, contrary to those tales of discontent, player and manager are in unison - each spelling out Holdsworth's commitment to the Bolton cause.

"Dean worked his backside off on Tuesday night," Todd said, contradicting any suggestion that there is a problem on that score.

"I explained to him on Monday that he'd been substituted in the Leicester game for tactical reasons; I didn't think he could have led the line on his own as well as Bob Taylor could.

"But against Arsenal, although he didn't get the scoring opportunities, his workrate showed that he is committed to this football club."

Holdsworth admits his pride took a knock when his number came up on Saturday as Wanderers re-adjusted following Gudni Bergsson's sending off.

"I was disappointed because you don't like being taken off," he explains. "It makes it look like you're playing badly when I was actually pleased with how I was playing.

"Some people made a big thing out of it but the manager told me it was just a tactical thing.

"There was no point in me moping around. There's no room for sentiment in football - there'll be none from me at Wimbledon for instance. I've just got to get on with it and show that my heart's in it. I want to do well." Holdsworth has never been anything but up front about his situation with Wanderers. He came to score goals and, in that respect, he knows he has been a disappointment.

In the first place he had to adjust to a style of play he wasn't accustomed to at Wimbledon; an extended injury lay-off didn't help and, since his return against West Ham six weeks ago, every game has been a pressure game with Wanderers desperately trying to fight their way out of relegation danger.

In such situations supporters look to their big signings and Holdsworth, for all his efforts, hasn't delivered where it matters most.

"I do need a goal," he acknowledges. "But it's the old story. Sometimes you work so hard but don't get any chances.

"I was pleased with the way I played on Tuesday and hopefully I can build on that tomorrow.

"But I don't want supporters to see me let it get me down. I've got to build myself up because I'm out there for the team and that's the important thing.

"Hopefully the goals will start coming soon. I'm looking forward to going back to Wimbledon and it would be nice to think my barren spell could end there.

"But tomorrow isn't about me versus Wimbledon. It's about us and getting the result we need.

"It'll be nice seeing the lads again but that's all. I'm just looking for three points."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.