Holdsworth to take Newport to the Conference

Newport County are on the verge of gaining promotion to the Conference. Unless something goes very wrong they should be assured of another rise up the Football Pyramid on Monday evening after they have played Havant and Waterlooville at Spytty Park.

It's 21 years since they left the Football League. However they quickly regrouped and started again in the Hellenic League.

"Everyone is to thank, from Dean Holdsworth to the players and to the present board. Everyone has worked so hard and it’s a wonderful feeling to be heading into the Conference,” said former chairman David Hando.

With the publicity Newport are currently receiving manager Holdsworth's success is bound to be noted.

His name has been linked by some Hereford United supporters as a possible successor to John Trewick at Edgar Street. And this evening the Worcester News has also mentioned the possibility.

Holdsworth, now 41, started his career at Watford and had several loan spells before joining Brentford.

At Brentford he was to prove himself as a prolific goalscorer, scoring 38 goals in the Third Division championship winning season of 1991-92. He signed for Wimbledon in the summer of 1992 for £650,000, scored 16 goals in his first season and usually partnered John Fashanu.

He moved to Bolton in October 1997 for £3.5M and made 97 league appearances and scored 39 times whilst there.

In later years Holdsworth became a journeyman before he was appointed as player-manager of Isthmian League club Redbridge in July 2007. He was appointed manager at Newport County in May 2008.

He has also attracted some publicity off the field. In 1996 he had a highly publicised extramarital affair with topless model Linsey Dawn McKenzie, who was then aged 17, and in December 1999 he was sentenced to 18 months probation for punching his wife Samantha Holdsworth.

This from the Guardian in 2005:

Every footballer's wife's nightmare, teenage glamour model Linsey Dawn McKenzie used her 36GG charms to beguile Dean Holdsworth in 1996. One al fresco liaison took place on the bonnet of the then Wimbledon striker's £83,000 BMW. The romance ended swiftly when the young 'stunna' discovered that Holdsworth was married. 'I was gutted,' Linsey told the People. 'He was fit, good-looking and wore stylish designer clothes.' Holdsworth's wife, Samantha, was in forgiving mood and took the striker back ('for the sake of the kids').

These days he is believed to live near Worcester.

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