DEAN Holdsworth has urged the two sides in the TV cash row to get back round the table to thrash out an agreement to prevent a strike he believes can only do damage to football.

The Wanderers' star says he and his team-mates are "concerned" that the rift between the players' union and the leagues has reached the point where footballers may have to decide whether to play or not to play.

"Nobody wanted it to come to this," said the Reebok ace. "There was never any doubt that the players would stick together but I think everyone - the players, the fans and the clubs - was hoping there would be a solution and an agreement before this action took place. Unfortunately that hasn't happened."

Holdsworth, the Professional Footballers' Association representative at the Reebok, rallied 100 per cent support for the union in its strike ballot but hinted today of a softening of the attitude in the light of the revised offer from the Premier League and the Football League which raises their contribution by £20 million to £50 million over three years.

The PFA negotiating team, which is demanding a £27.5 million a year, was not impressed and served notice that strike action would start on December 1 but it has been suggested that the players be asked to vote on the new offer and the Wanderers' man says he would support that.

"I'm sure the players will stick together. They have to and rightly so. But sometimes there can be a case of people in power trying to win boardroom battles and that can't be the case. I don't think some of the personal comments people have made in the press have helped matters.

"The players have been given one side of the situation - an unsatisfactory offer - now, maybe, it's time to ask them what they think about the new one.

"Six people can't decide on behalf of more than 2,000 members.

"I think players will say 'lock yourselves into the boardroom and don't come out until it's sorted'. It's not good for the game if we don't get a solution.

"I'm optimistic rather than confident but the more times I here they are in a room together, I feel better.

"I don't want to go to the players at this club and say 'you are not playing on Saturday'."

Holdsworth, who has told his union to keep him informed of developments on a daily basis, is anxious to prevent the strike row damaging the morale he and others have worked so hard to help build at the Reebok.

"I'll be speaking to the manager and the players because one thing we've got at this club is a good team spirit," he explained. "The last time I spoke to the chairman he was adamant we wouldn't fall out over it. We've worked extremely hard and spent a lot of time working together on team spirit and we don't want anything to come between that.

"Because first and foremost I am a Bolton Wanderers footballer and no way do I want the team spirit to be jolted by this.

"Hopefully there will be the best solution for all the parties involved. We all love football and we all want to play on Saturdays. We don't want to take that away from the players and the supporters.

"They (the players) are concerned because:

1. They are on contracts;

2. They want to play;

3. They are employees of this football club.

"If we take the strike action we are actually taking away what we are here for.

"But people should know that it's not about greedy players. No money is going into players' pockets directly. It's about benefit schemes for players, ex-players and young players coming through."