Mel Holden
Melville George Holden (25 August 1954 – 31 January 1981) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a forward. Active in both England and the Netherlands, Holden made nearly 150 career League appearances, scoring nearly 50 goals.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Melville George Holden[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 25 August 1954 | ||
| Place of birth | Dundee, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 31 January 1981 (aged 26) | ||
| Place of death | Preston, England | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Preston North End | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1972–1975 | Preston North End | 72 | (22) |
| 1975–1978 | Sunderland | 73 | (23) |
| 1978 | Blackpool | 3 | (0) |
| 1978–1979 | PEC Zwolle | 10 | (1) |
| Total | 158 | (46) | |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only | |||
Career
Born in Dundee, Holden played for the youth team of Preston North End, and made his senior debut in 1972. He later played for Sunderland and Blackpool, before moving to the Netherlands to play with PEC Zwolle.[2][3]
Later life and death
Holden died of motor neurone disease in early 1981, aged 26; the illness had forced his retirement from playing some two years previously. After his death, Preston player Peter Litchfield donated £1,000 he had received for winning a Man of the Match award to a motor neurone charity.[4]
References
- "Mel Holden". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
- "Mel Holden profile". Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
- "Profile" (in Dutch). Voetbal International. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
- "An Iron And A White". Preston North End Mad. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
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