 Holt playing forNorwich City in 2010 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Grant Holt[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1981-04-02)2 April 1981 (age 43)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Carlisle, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Dereham Town | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Carlisle United | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1999 | Workington | ||
| 1999–2001 | Halifax Town | 6 | (0) |
| 2001 | →Sorrento (loan) | ||
| 2001 | →Barrow (loan) | 10 | (4) |
| 2001 | Sengkang Marine | 17 | (12) |
| 2001–2003 | Barrow | 59 | (31) |
| 2003–2004 | Sheffield Wednesday | 24 | (3) |
| 2004–2006 | Rochdale | 75 | (34) |
| 2006–2008 | Nottingham Forest | 96 | (21) |
| 2008 | →Blackpool (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | Shrewsbury Town | 43 | (20) |
| 2009–2013 | Norwich City | 154 | (68) |
| 2013–2016 | Wigan Athletic | 20 | (3) |
| 2014 | →Aston Villa (loan) | 10 | (1) |
| 2014 | →Huddersfield Town (loan) | 15 | (2) |
| 2015–2016 | →Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2016 | Rochdale | 14 | (2) |
| 2016–2017 | Hibernian | 30 | (5) |
| 2017 | King's Lynn Town | 3 | (1) |
| 2017–2018 | Barrow | 24 | (0) |
| 2020–2022 | Wroxham | 3 | (1) |
| 2024– | Dereham Town | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Grant Holt (born 12 April 1981) is an English professionalfootballer who plays forDereham Town.
During his football career, Holt played as aforward for a number of non-league and professional clubs, making nearly 100 league appearances forNottingham Forest before signing forShrewsbury Town in 2008 where he became top goalscorer. A year later, he signed for Norwich where he won theNorwich City Player of the Year award in three consecutive seasons, helping Norwich to back-to-back promotions, and became the sixth highest goalscorer in their history.[2] Following his retirement from football Holt became a professionalwrestler, signing with theWorld Association of Wrestling.[3]
Holt began his career as a youth player at his hometown clubCarlisle United, but joinedWorkington after being released aged 18.[4] Following success at Workington he signed forHalifax Town in theThird Division. He scored one goal for Halifax in theFootball League Cup againstTranmere Rovers,[5] and also went onloan to Australian clubSorrento for one month in 2001[6] and then toBarrow. He left in 2001 to play for the summer inSingapore withSengkang Marine,[citation needed] under the understanding that he would be signed by Carlisle United on his return.[citation needed] However, Carlisle entered administration and were unable to complete the transfer.[4] Holt moved back to Barrow, taking a part-time job in a factory in the town.[citation needed]
Holt spent two seasons at Barrow in theNorthern Premier League.[7] He hadtrials with full-time teams but did not get signed until 2003, whenSheffield Wednesday signed him in March 2003. He made 30 appearances, half of them as a substitute, but only managed four goals. Holt dropped down toLeague Two, signing forRochdale, for whom he made 83 appearances and scored 42 goals.[8] Holt views his time as Rochdale as his major break-through[4] and it made him a target for many[clarification needed] higher league clubs.[who?][citation needed] It was Nottingham Forest who paid £300,000 to secure his services in January 2006.[citation needed]
Holt made a slow start to his time with Forest, scoring four times in as many months at the end of the2005–06 campaign. In November 2006, he turned down a move toBristol City for personal reasons, after the two clubs had agreed a fee.[9] However, despite being on the bench for approximately half of Forest's matches in the2006–07 season, he managed to score 18 goals in all competitions to become the club's top scorer. Forest fans recognised Holt's performances by handing him the 'Player of the Season' award.[10]
In the summer of 2007, Holt and Forest bossColin Calderwood reached an "uneasy truce" after the striker had a transfer request rebuffed, when Forest refused to give him an improved contract.[11] Holt made it clear that he would be "happy to stay" with Forest for the2007–08 campaign, while Calderwood admitted "he's not a player we want to see leave".[11] However, Holt failed to impress by only scoring three times all season, although he played out of position as a winger for the majority of the season.
In March 2008, Holt signed on loan withChampionship club,Blackpool, making his debut as a late substitute againstStoke City at theBritannia Stadium on 22 March.[12] He made four substitute appearances before returning to Forest in the summer of 2008, saying he would like to stay and fight for his place in Forest's team next season, despite interest being shown from his home town clubCarlisle United.[13]
On 24 June 2008,Shrewsbury Town broke their club transfer record by signing Holt for £170,000.[14] Holt opened his scoring account for the Shrews on his debut, scoring from the penalty spot againstMacclesfield Town,[citation needed] in a game the Shrews won 4–0.[citation needed]
On 7 October 2008, in aFootball League Trophy second round match againstWycombe Wanderers, Holt scored five goals in the Shrews' 7–0 win.[15]
In the March 2009 edition ofFourFourTwo, it was stated that Holt was the player to cover the greatest distance per game in both Leagues One and Two, averaging 4.8 kilometres per game.[16] At the end of the season, Holt finished as joint-top scorer withJack Lester for League Two, with 20 League goals, as well as, winningLeague Two Player of the Year, Shrewsbury Town Player of the Year and named in the League TwoPFA Team of the Year for the2008–09 season.[citation needed]
On 24 July 2009, Holt transferred toNorwich City after Shrewsbury Town accepted an undisclosed bid, thought to be £400,000.[17] Holt signed a three-year contract with the option of a further year atCarrow Road.
Holt made his debut in the heavy 7–1 opening day defeat toColchester United atCarrow Road,[18] and scored his first Norwich goals with a hat-trick againstYeovil Town in a first roundLeague Cup tie on 11 August 2009.[19] His first league goals came with a brace againstWycombe Wanderers on 22 August 2009.[citation needed] Starting with that game, new managerPaul Lambert made Holt team captain.[citation needed] He won the League One Player of the Month award for October 2009, for "excellent performances throughout October", a month in which he scored "an impressive five goals in as many league fixtures".[20] He reached the landmark of 20 goals for the season in the home game againstMillwall on 26 December 2009.[21] Holt received his first red card for Norwich City againstBrentford on 23 January 2010.[citation needed] He finished the season winning the Norwich City Player of the Year award,[citation needed] having scored 30 goals in 44 appearances in total,[citation needed] as the club finished as champions ofLeague One and earned promotion to theChampionship.[22]
Holt scored his first goals of the2010–11 season in the League Cup first round againstGillingham, netting a brace.[23] His first league goal of the season came during stoppage time in a 1–0 away win overScunthorpe United on 14 August 2010.[24] He scored his first league hat-trick against local rivalsIpswich Town on 28 November 2010.[25]
During his time at Norwich he passed the landmark of 150 career goals with a penalty in the first minute in the 3–1 win overBristol City.[citation needed] He reached the landmark of 50 goals for Norwich City on 2 April 2011 when he scored a hat trick in a 6–0 win againstScunthorpe United at Carrow Road.[26] He was then nominated for the Championship Player of the Year in 2011, but was beaten byAdel Taarabt.[27] He was the winner of Norwich's player of the season for a second consecutive year as the club were automatically promoted to thePremier League.[28]
Holt started the first game of the2011–12 Premier League season in Norwich's 1–1 draw atWigan Athletic, partneringSteve Morison in attack, meaning he had played in all four English divisions.[29] He scored his first Premier League goal in the third game of the season, scoring againstChelsea following an error by the goalkeeperHenrique Hilário.[30] For the first part of the season Holt was used mainly as a substitute, becoming a regular starter again later in the campaign, scoring 15 league goals and being voted theplayer of the year for the third season in succession.[31] He was inducted into the Norwich City Hall of Fame on 20 March 2012.[32] Holt's impressive opening season in the Premier League earned him much acclaim by pundits and managers alike and even conjured talk of a possible place inRoy Hodgson's firstEngland squad for the2012 European Championship.[33]
On 18 May 2012, Holt handed in a transfer request six days after being voted Norwich'sPlayer of the Season for the third year running; the request was immediately rejected by Norwich City.[34] On 1 June, Holt reiterated his request to depart Norwich City via his Twitter account, before signing a new three-year contract with the club on 3 July.[35][36] He played in 34 league games during the 2012–13 season, scoring eight goals for the club as they again retained their place in the Premier League, including a goal in his final game for the club; a 3–2 victory againstManchester City at theEtihad Stadium.[37][38]
Holt joinedWigan Athletic on a three-year deal, on 8 July 2013, for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £2 million.[39] He made his Wigan debut on 3 August 2013 and scored in a 4–0 away win againstBarnsley.[40] He then scored a penalty in an eventual 2–2 draw withMiddlesbrough.[41]
On 14 January 2014, Holt joinedAston Villa on loan until the end of the2013–14 season.[42][43] Holt made his Aston Villa debut five days later, coming on as a substitute forGabriel Agbonlahor in the 49th minute, in a 2–2 draw againstLiverpool.[44] Holt then scored his first Aston Villa goal, in a 2–1 loss againstFulham on 5 April 2014.[45] Holt went to make ten appearances and scoring once before returning to Wigan at the end of the season.[46]
On 27 September 2014, Holt joinedHuddersfield Town on an initial emergency loan until 8 November 2014.[47] Holt made his Huddersfield Town debut the same day, coming on as a substitute forLee Peltier in the 64th minute, in a 2–1 win overMillwall.[48] His first goal for the club came in their 4–2 win overBlackpool at theJohn Smith's Stadium on 18 October 2014.[49] Following his first goal, Holt had his loan spell with Huddersfield Town extended until 28 December 2014.[50]
On 28 December 2014, Holt returned to his parent club Wigan.[51] This came after Holt had a successful operation on his knee, though it kept him out for nine months.[52]
On 30 October 2015, he moved on loan to Championship sideWolverhampton Wanderers until 2 January 2016.[53]
On 18 February 2016, Holt joinedRochdale until the end of the season.[54] Holt then signed a one-year contract with Scottish clubHibernian in June 2016.[55] He scored seven goals in 39 appearances for Hibs during the 2016–17 season, as the team won the2016–17 Scottish Championship.[56] Holt was released by Hibs in May 2017, at the end of his contract.[56]
On 9 October 2017, Holt signed forSouthern League Premier Division clubKing's Lynn Town, linking up with managerIan Culverhouse, who had been assistant manager atNorwich City throughout Holt's time with the Canaries.[57]
Less than a month later, his former clubBarrow made an approach for him to join as a player-coach, with Holt moving to the club in the higher levelNational League.[58][59]
On 16 July 2018, it was announced that Holt would be leaving Barrow.[60]
He played three games forWroxham in the2019–20 Eastern Counties Football League and scored two goals,[61] one of which was againstSouth Normanton Athletic in theFA Vase.[62] Holt made three more appearances for Wroxham in January 2022, playing in defence.
In February 2024, he was part of a consortium that formed a partnership withDereham Town. As part of this, he was registered as a player.[63]
Holt's first coaching job was atBarrow, where he acted as a player-coach for the 2017–18 season.
In August 2018, Holt announced the end of his playing career and that he has accepted a coaching position with Norwich City, working with the academy.[64][65] In December 2021, Holt left Norwich to take up a role as ascout withWest Ham United.[66]
| Club | Season | Division | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Sheffield Wednesday | 2002–03 | First Division | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 7 | 1 | |
| 2003–04 | Second Division | 17 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 3 | |
| Total | 24 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 30 | 4 | ||
| Rochdale | 2003–04 | Third Division | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 |
| 2004–05 | League Two | 40 | 17 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 45 | 24 | |
| 2005–06 | League Two | 21 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 15 | |
| Total | 75 | 34 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 83 | 42 | ||
| Nottingham Forest | 2005–06 | League One | 19 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 4 |
| 2006–07 | League One | 45 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 54 | 18 | |
| 2007–08 | League One | 32 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 3 | |
| Total | 96 | 21 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 108 | 25 | ||
| Blackpool (loan) | 2007–08 | Championship | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | |
| Shrewsbury Town | 2008–09 | League Two | 43 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 51 | 28 |
| Norwich City | 2009–10 | League One | 39 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 30 |
| 2010–11 | Championship | 45 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | 48 | 23 | ||
| 2011–12 | Premier League | 36 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 38 | 17 | ||
| 2012–13 | Premier League | 34 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 38 | 8 | ||
| Total | 154 | 68 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 168 | 78 | ||
| Wigan Athletic | 2013–14 | Championship | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 21 | 2 |
| 2014–15 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2015–16 | League One | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 27 | 2 | ||
| Aston Villa (loan) | 2013–14 | Premier League | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 10 | 1 | |
| Huddersfield Town (loan) | 2014–15 | Championship | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 15 | 2 | |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan) | 2015–16 | Championship | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | |
| Rochdale | 2015–16 | League One | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 14 | 2 | |
| Hibernian | 2016–17 | Scottish Championship | 30 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 39 | 7 |
| King's Lynn Town[67] | 2017–18 | Southern League Premier | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| Barrow | 2017–18 | National League | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 0 | ||
| Wroxham | 2019–20 | ECFL Premier Division | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2021–22 | ECFL Premier Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 519 | 160 | 24 | 15 | 16 | 6 | 28 | 13 | 586 | 193 | ||
In May 2018, Holt signed a professional wrestling contract withWAW.[3][68] He won his first fight when he was the last man standing in a 40-man Royal Rumble earning him the Crusher Mason Memorial Trophy.[69] In total he wrestled three matches, the last in June 2019, and won all three of them.[70]
Holt was born inCarlisle,Cumbria. He is married and has three daughters.[citation needed]
Barrow
Norwich City
Hibernian
Individual
