WANDERERS fear that Stuart Holden may have suffered another cruciate ligament tear in his knee just 23 minutes into his comeback for the club last night.

The American will undergo a scan on his right knee before heading back to the US to meet with the surgeon who operated on him last summer.

Holden tore his anterior cruciate ligament playing for the US in the Gold Cup on July 29 and was ruled out for several months.

He played his first game at the Reebok last night for the Under-21s against Everton but was forced off the field prematurely with discomfort in his knee.

Wanderers say the player will now be assessed on “the resurfacing of last summer’s injury,” which seems to indicate concern that he has once again damaged ligaments in his knee.

Holden has been beset by injury problems in the last three years, starting just one game for Bolton and making four substitute appearances since March 2011 when a tackle from Manchester United defender Jonny Evans left him with serious knee damage, which later required a second bout of surgery on his left knee.

He had a spell on loan with Sheffield Wednesday last season but after injuring his right knee playing for his country, there are now serious concerns over whether he will now need a second operation.