The Selhurst Park clash is shrouded in intrigue as Holloway comes face to face with the Seasiders for the first time since his surprise switch to Palace last month.
On-loan Bournemouth striker Thomas was the first signing made by Holloway's predecessor Michael Appleton so has no association with the Bristolian's glory years at Bloomfield Road.
But the memory of being released by Holloway during his days as a youth player at QPR will be more than enough to spur on the 25-year-old.
"Ian Holloway is the one who released me when I was at QPR, so Saturday is a game I'm really looking forward to," Thomas told the Blackpool Gazette. "It's my chance to show Holloway I'm back.
"I was a scholar at QPR and after my second year he released me. As a young player, you don't want to hear that. I was devastated. You think, 'Is there a career for me?"'
A drop into non-league football and a stint at college on a media studies course followed before Thomas earned his league break at Cheltenham in 2010, and last weekend marked another significant step in his progress when he became a Championship goalscorer in Blackpool's 4-1 win at Peterborough.
"I sort of dropped out of football, but I've worked myself back up now and hopefully that will continue," he added.
"It's difficult when you're released and I took it quite hard. I thought I had to look at other options, so I dropped into non-league and studied at the same time.
"I was still playing and was impressing, and the opportunity eventually came to turn pro again."
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