Rob Holding wins Player of the Year for 2015/16

Rob Holding has won the Bolton Wanderers Player of the Year award for the 2015/16 season.

The academy graduate has been with the club for 12 years and made his senior debut against Burton Albion last August. He has since gone on to make a total of 29 first team appearances during the current campaign.

Holding, 20, opened his goalscoring account against MK Dons back in January and has now been awarded the club’s annual accolade for his efforts in the white shirt.

Speaking following the announcement, Holding told bwfc.co.uk: “It’s a massive honour for both myself and my family. Even though the season has been difficult, personally it’s a good feeling and one that I’m so proud of. I’ll never forget this.

“If you would have said to me at the start of the year that I’d have played 29 first team games and be named as Player of the Year, I genuinely wouldn’t have believed you.

“At the start of the season, I was dreaming of playing a couple of senior games, but for it to have panned out like it has is just a dream come true.

“For the fans to vote me as their Player of the Year is just a huge honour and one that I’ll be forever grateful for.”

Liam Feeney finished in second place in the public vote, with Derik Osede in third.

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Holding and Derik have been the only positives this season, lets hope we can keep them both for next season

Rob Holding - POTY award a huge honour



Following the announcement of his Player of the Year success, Rob Holding spoke exclusively to the club about scooping the award in his inaugural season in the first team mix at Macron Stadium.

Making his bow for the club against Burton Albion in the Capital One Cup last August, the 20-year-old has since gone on to make 29 appearances for the Whites, scoring once against MK Dons earlier this year.

“It’s a massive honour for both me and my family,” said the young defender. “Even though the season has been difficult, personally it’s a good feeling and one that I’m so proud of. I’ll never forget this.

“At the start of the season, I was dreaming of playing a couple of senior games, but for it to have panned out like it has is just a dream come true. For the fans to vote me as their Player of the Year is just a huge honour and one that I’ll be forever grateful for.”

He continued, “The fans have been brilliant with me, but they’ve been fantastic with every single one of the young lads who has come through the ranks. 

“If they can see that they’re hungry to play and want to play for the shirt, they’re happy – they just want to see effort and I’d like to think I’ve given them just that.”

Reflecting on his time at the club so far, Holding said, “I’ve been here for 12 years now and all that slog and hard work is made worth it with an award like this. 

“To be on that trophy with so many great names though is an absolute honour – to be sharing it with the likes of Jay-Jay Okocha, Kevin Davies and Jussi Jaaskelainen, it’s the stuff dreams are made of.

“Looking back to when I was eight years old and kicking a ball in a kit that’s two sizes too big because it’d just been given to me right up to the present day where I’m fully immersed in first team, it’s just crazy.

“The coaches at the club have been a massive help to me and I genuinely cannot thank them enough for all they’ve done for me,” he added. “The likes of David Lee and Tony Kelly in the Under-18s, Nicky Spooner when I was a schoolboy and Jimmy Phillips who is a face I’ve known for many years.

“All the way through my development too, I’ve had a good group of lads around me – we grew up together and it’s brilliant that we’re all in the mix now after all these years.

“The club means a lot to all of us who’ve come through the ranks – we’ve all got that affinity with Bolton now and even when the time comes that we’re not here anymore, it’ll always be a part of us because Bolton Wanderers help to make us.”

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Norpig wrote:Holding and Derik have been the only positives this season, lets hope we can keep them both for next season

I think Threlkeld's development has been very positive - possibly as good as Holding's - and I know they've not set the world on fire, but giving Championship game time to Maher, Garrett, Clough, Woolery, Finney, Samizadeh, Thomas, Walker, Clayton and others will bear fruit down the line.

There may even be a way back for the likes of Hayden White, Eaves and others out on loan (I doubt it) but if not at least the wheat has been sorted from the chaff to some extent.

It's been a dreadful season, but I doubt so many kids would have been blooded if it hadn't been, so at least something good has come out of a dire situation.

Holding has been just as bad as the other ponces. If he was 28 years old he'd have been getting abused like the rest of the ponces.

Natasha Whittam wrote:Holding has been just as bad as the other ponces. If he was 28 years old he'd have been getting abused like the rest of the ponces.

Whilst the club have invested in him over many years, at least he didn't cost a ridiculous fee and demand a disproportionate salary so even if he's "average" it's progress of sorts.

wanderlust wrote:

Natasha Whittam wrote:Holding has been just as bad as the other ponces. If he was 28 years old he'd have been getting abused like the rest of the ponces.

Whilst the club have invested in him over many years, at least he didn't cost a ridiculous fee and demand a disproportionate salary so even if he's "average" it's progress of sorts.

Nibbling at the bait Lusty?

No one can say Holding has been "good" or even "average". He's been at fault countless times. And he cost us the game against Reading that could have kept us up.

Personally, I don't think there should have been a player of the year, but if it had to go to someone it should have been Clough.

Clough? Talented kid but a passenger in most games.
He could have compensated by scoring goals but with only 6 in 24 games he is way, way off the pace of a top striker. Should be getting at least double that if he to compare with most other clubs' strikers. Perhaps it's because he's in a poor team that doesn't create enough chances for him, but he hasn't done the business this season and really shouldn't be rewarded for that.

Natasha Whittam wrote:No one can say Holding has been "good" or even "average". He's been at fault countless times. And he cost us the game against Reading that could have kept us up.

Personally, I don't think there should have been a player of the year, but if it had to go to someone it should have been Clough.

He's been superb. You don't have clubs like Everton after you if you're shite

Rob Holding has completed 90 mins for England U21's against Guinea in a 7-1 win at the U21 tournament. Well done Rob hope it's the first of many.

whatsgoingon wrote:Rob Holding has completed 90 mins for England U21's against Guinea in a 7-1 win at the U21 tournament. Well done Rob hope it's the first of many.

That's great. Who was at fault for their goal? Just out of interest.

whatsgoingon wrote:Rob Holding has completed 90 mins for England U21's against Guinea in a 7-1 win at the U21 tournament. Well done Rob hope it's the first of many.

He completed 80 not 90

That's 80 minutes more than he will play for us if Arsenal raise their bid to a fiver and a further Tenner if he ever sees the first teams bench.

They only play 80 apparently, but if we're being pedantic 85 because there was injury time

whatsgoingon wrote:They only play 80 apparently, but if we're being pedantic 85 because there was injury time

The number of minutes is less important to me than the fact he completed the game without being taken off or injured. Obviously the manager was happy enough with his performance and the fact he didn't get crocked along the way like some of our players have been in the past (Holden springs to mind here) was also a positive imo. Well done Rob, hope it's the first of many.

whatsgoingon wrote:They only play 80 apparently, but if we're being pedantic 85 because there was injury time

84:37 if we're including injury time

UTD are sniffing .

And Burnley