Nationwide Conference side Cambridge United have clinched the services of veteran striker Dean Holdsworth on non contract terms.

The former Brentford, Wimbledon and Bolton frontman has put pen to paper on a a one month deal following his release by Havant & Waterlooville.

"He's an ex-Premier League player and although he's not going to run the channels he'll hold the ball up and win his headers and hopefully get us a couple of goals," U's boss Jimmy Quinn told the club's official website.

"He was playing for Havant & Waterlooville and travelling there, but he lives near Stansted so he won't have to do the same travelling.

"I've known Dean a long time and I just enquired about him and luckily enough found out he was available."

"I'm trying to negotiate for another striker as well at the moment," revealed Quinn, "and Michael Gash has gone down with a virus so it's all hands to the pump.

"I think Dean is a fantastic acquisition. I was 38 when I signed for Peterborough and I scored 25 goals and ended up in the PFA team. I'd lost my pace - not that I ever had any in the first place! - but I knew what to do and where to go and hopefully Dean will be the same.

"He's trained with us for a couple of days and you can see him helping the younger players, and I think we'll look at it for a month and take it from there.

"He's obviously been fitter in his day, but we had a practice game today and you can see he's got that quality; the ball sticks when it goes up to him and he brings people into play, so it's a good acquisition for us."