Veteran striker Emile Heskey has expressed his delight at returning to English football after scoring on his Bolton Wanderers debut yesterday.

The 36-year-old forward came on at half time during the Lancashire derby against Blackburn Rovers and began the Trotters' fightback with a close-range finish from Eidur Gudjohnsen's outside-of-the-boot cross in the 59th minute.

"It was great to be back, to dust off those cobwebs and get out on the field again," Heskey, who had been without a club since leaving A-League side Newcastle Jets in April, told the club website.

"It's taken a bit of time to get used to the English weather again having been over in Australia for the past two years, but football is all about the variety and different climates, so I'm really enjoying myself.

"It's great to have local derbies – these are the kind of games that you come into football for really. It was a real cauldron of noise, and it was nice to get an important goal in such a big game too."

Heskey feels that he has been brought in not just for his impact on the pitch, but also for being someone to look up to off it.

"The manager has never said that I've come to the club to light up the field like I'm 17, but I've still got something to give to the team, both on the pitch and to the younger lads as well," he added.

"I think it is so important for us more experienced heads to pass on our knowledge, because we can ultimately help others to develop."

Bolton have won five of their last eight games in an unbeaten stretch since the end of October to move up to 14th in the table.