YORK City boss Colin Walker is considering a move for former England Under-21 striker Bruce Dyer.

Unattached Dyer, who became England’s first £1million teenager when he moved from Watford to Crystal Palace in 1994, is a free agent after finishing last season at Chesterfield.

The 33-year-old forward, who is also a full Montserrat international, played against the Minstermen’s reserves on Tuesday night for former club Bradford City, where manager Stuart McCall has allowed him to train as a favour.

With a record of 139 goals in 540 games at ten different clubs, Walker is attracted to Dyer’s experience having also contemplated taking young Nottingham Forest reserves Adam Newbold and Emile Sinclair on loan.

One player that will be leaving KitKat Crescent, however, following tomorrow’s home match with Rushden and Diamonds is midfielder Peter Holmes, who has been recalled by Rotherham.

About his continued search for a new forward, Walker said: “I know Bruce from our days at Barnsley. I spoke to him after the reserve game and he’s not tied to anybody so we may go down that route.

“He could come for two or three months although he still has the idea of playing in the Football League as quite a few do who we are speaking to.

“I’ve watched Emile Sinclair at Nottingham Forest and know Cec Podd, who looks after him. There’s also Adam Newbold there as well.

“We’re looking at them both but they are young, which we have with Adam Boyes and Onome Sodje, while Richard Brodie isn’t the eldest either. I think we might need experience.

“I’ve spoken to as many people as I can this week but one of the difficult things in the next month is the FA Cup. People are reluctant to send players out for a month of football and then get them cup-tied, which is one of the main reasons Peter Holmes is going back.”

Holmes will make his farewell appearance for City tomorrow after recovering from the eye injury he suffered at Woking.

Walker said: “I asked to extend his deal but Mark Robins wants him back as they have got nine games in 27 days coming up.

“I’m a bit disappointed as he’s done really well and I know he’s enjoyed himself so I’d like to thank him for what he’s done for us.”

The Minstermen are expected to field an unchanged starting line-up after winning 2-0 at Woking, although Walker admitted he faces a dilemma over whether to recall fit-again skipper Mark Greaves.

He also added that he has been impressed by the response of fellow midfielder Simon Russell to dropping out of the first team into the reserves.

Said the City boss: “He’s working his socks off and sometimes I think the harder he tries the worse things get for him because he had some great chances to score again but just needs a bit of luck.”

Onome Sodje, meanwhile, could be fit to face Mansfield in next Saturday’s FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.

Pre-season title favourites Rushden currently lie eighth in the table but Walker is not under-estimating their threat.

He said: “I watched them get tanked by Torquay on Sunday but they have got a lot of very good players that you can’t disregard like Daryl Clare, Leon Knight and Lee Phillips and it’s a game all our players are looking forward to.”

City (probable): Ingham, Purkiss, Kelly, Parslow, McGurk, Robinson, Rusk, Holmes, Wilkinson, McBreen, Farrell.

Subs: Mimms, Greaves, Russell, Brodie, Boyes.

Rushden (probable): Roberts, Osano, Gulliver, Hope, Jelleyman, Tomlin, Woodhouse, Woolleaston, Burgess, Clare, Knight.

Subs: Phillips, Smith, Corcoran, Kelly, Burton.

Referee: S Martin.

Kick-off: 3pm.