| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Lionel Grafton Holband[1][2] | ||
| Date of birth | (1965-02-25)25 February 1965 (age 60) | ||
| Place of birth | Paramaribo, Suriname | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| GRC Groningen | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1983–1985 | GRC Groningen | ||
| 1985–1986 | Jong Groningen | ||
| 1986–1988 | GRC Groningen | ||
| 1988–1989 | Hoogeveen | ||
| 1989–1994 | Groningen | 109 | (6) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Lionel Grafton Holband (born 25 February 1965) is a Dutch former professionalfootballer who played as amidfielder forEredivisie league clubGroningen between 1989 and 1994.[3]
Lionel Grafton Holband was born on 25 February 1975 inParamaribo, Suriname.[1][2] During his childhood, he moved with his family from thenewly independent Suriname toGroningen in the Netherlands, and became aDutch citizen in 1983.[1]
At a young age, Holband moved fromGRC toFC Groningen. After a year, he was released and returned to GRC, which was subsequently relegated from theHoofdklasse. Holband then spent two years playing inHoogeveen. Reflecting on his return to Groningen, he remarked in February 1990, "Koeman came by last season and said, 'What's done is done.' I was surprised that Groningen took me back, as it had only happened toClaus Boekweg before. But there's a difference: Claus returned as an amateur, while I returned as a professional. Have I improved over the years? I've mainly become mentally stronger."[4]
During his tenure at Groningen, the team achieved some of its best-ever results in theEredivisie, finishing third in the1990–91 season. Hiposteoarthritis forced Holband to retire from professional football in 1994. However, he played one more season at the amateur level for Club Italiano while taking coaching courses.[5]
After his playing career, Holband served as a youth coach at Groningen from 1994 to 2011.[6]
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