FORMER Newport County AFC manager Dean Holdsworth has spoken of his pride at “saving” Bolton Wanderers.

The former Bolton striker, whose Sports Shield consortium pulled the club back from the brink of administration this morning at the High Court, is just one step away from being confirmed as the new owner.

Wanderers won a 14-day adjournment at the High Court on the strength of Sports Shield’s accepted bid – which should now go through with Football League approval.

“It is a great day and I’m absolutely honoured to be a part of this club again,” Holdsworth told The Bolton News.

“More importantly it lets the people who have been at this club through thick and thin look forward to the future. “I can’t put into words what a tough process this has been.

“We shouldn’t have been talking about saving a football club but to do it makes this a very special thing for us.”

Since leaving County in 2011, Holdsworth has managed Aldershot Town, Chelmsford City and Brentwood Town and has worked as a pundit on Sky Sports.

Bolton were faced with a winding up petition from HMRC over an unpaid tax bill worth £3million but lobbied the court to give them extra time to get a deal over the line.

Sports Shield, the consortium led by Holdsworth, are now in a position to buy the club from Eddie Davies although the details of their bid must first be approved by the owner, and then the Football League.

Their bid has now been revealed as a joint venture with accountant Bruce Gordon, who runs venture capital fund Thames Valley Ltd and used to work for Deloitte.

Paperwork on the deal was signed and completed just minutes before today’s hearing in London, which led to a brief delay as a witness statement was read.

Had an adjournment not been granted then Wanderers would have had to seek a short adjournment to file for administration, which would have carried an instant 12-point penalty and meant almost certain relegation from the Championship.

HMRC had lobbied for liquidation – which would have meant the sale of all assets owned by the club, including the Macron Stadium itself.