BOLTON Wanderers are bracing themselves for a possible Geordie invasion tonight when Kieron Dyer makes his long-awaited Newcastle United comeback in the Premier Reserve League clash at the Reebok Stadium.

Dyer is due to kick a ball in competitive action for the first time in over nine months since he succumbed to a serious shin problem which required a bone graft and two operations.

The England starlet suffered another crushing blow when he was carried from the training ground in tears at the end of July while launching an abortive return.

But the £20m-rated midfielder is now ready to take his first tentative steps on the comeback trail as he sets out to press his claims for a place in England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson's World Cup plans.

Bolton yesterday confirmed that their average crowd for reserve games could be more than doubled if Newcastle fans arrive in force to see Dyer's return.

"We usually only get a few hundred for reserve games,'' said a Bolton spokesman, when told that United could bring several hundred themselves.

If Dyer comes through the run-out unscathed, United boss Bobby Robson will name him among his substitutes for Sunday's game at Ipswich, the former club of both player and manager.

Robson said: "Kieron is feeling good and the confidence is coming back each day. It depends on how he does at Bolton, but he may be a sub against Ipswich.''

Dyer's last appearance was on February 24 in the 1-0 Premiership home defeat by Manchester City.

But Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer warned: "Kieron has been flying in training. He's looking fit and strong.

"What he needs now are games. I've had a lot of injuries in my time, so I've been in this sort of situation before and I know how he's feeling.

"He'll be itching to get playing again. We've done really well without him, but hopefully we'll do even better with him back in the side.''

Meanwhile, Newcastle's £7m striker Carl Cort is due to hear whether he needs surgery for a knee injury which has kept him out since the end of last season.

Cort flew to Vail, Colorado, on Monday for a consultation with eminent knee surgeon Richard Steadman, the man who rescued Shearer's career when he operated on the former England captain in May.

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