Football feature: Spotlight on Matt Holland (From Thisisdorset)

Football feature: Spotlight on Matt Holland

7:00am Saturday 13th March 2010 in

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ASK Matt Holland “what happened next?” and he can recall his Cherries debut as if it were yesterday.

Since taking his bow some 15 years ago, Holland went on to enjoy an illustrious career with both club and adopted country.

He also flourished on the media stage – including several appearances on A Question of Sport – and has now swapped the penalty box for the press box on a full-time basis.

“I remember my debut well,” says Holland. “We lost 2-0 at home to Huddersfield and I came on as a sub. Within two minutes, my shorts had ripped and I was getting wolf-whistles as I pulled them down on the sidelines!”

Holland wasted little time in endearing himself to the Dean Court faithful after initially arriving on loan from West Ham in January 1995.

The talented midfielder made 16 appearances during the legendary Great Escape of 1994-95 before going on to captain Cherries the following two seasons.

An ambassador and spokesman as the club fell into receivership, he was also the saviour when his £800,000 sale to Ipswich in 1997 provided crucial funds.

One of his first media appearances came as a pundit alongside Tommy Widdrington during Sky Sports’ coverage of Cherries’ Auto Windscreens Shield final at Wembley in April 1998.

“And I couldn’t get a word in edgeways!” laughs Holland.

The highlights of a glittering playing career saw him captain Ipswich to the Premier League in 2000 followed by a memorable European campaign with the Tractor Boys.

He also won 49 caps for the Republic of Ireland and appeared in the 2002 World Cup, scoring against Cameroon.

Articulate and informed, Holland continued to attract media invites – both written and spoken. He penned a weekly column for The Independent together with regular appearances as a summariser on television and radio.

More recently, he has been presenting the BBC’s regional Late Kick Off show in the east of England, while continuing on a freelance basis with Irish broadcaster RTE and ESPN.

“Presenting is totally different to summarising,” says Holland, who also writes a weekly blog on the Football League website. “I was like a rabbit in headlights to start with!

“You’ve got to listen to someone speaking to you in an earpiece and also try to talk to someone else at the same time. It’s got a bit easier each week and I’m really enjoying it. It’s a great opportunity and I was fortunate to be given it.”

Holland, who is working for RTE at this year’s World Cup, added: “Every player has an inkling of what they would like to do once they have finished playing. For me, it was a case of trying to keep every option open.

“At the start of this season, I thought I would still be playing but that didn’t happen for one reason or another. I am also halfway through one of my coaching badges but that has had to take a back seat because of the media work.

“It has taken a while to adjust to not playing but I have been able to do things which I couldn’t do before like go skiing and have Christmas Day at home. As a freelance, there is lots of paperwork and that’s something I’m not use to!”

Holland, who lives with his family near Colchester, is kept abreast of events at Dean Court by his father-in-law John Topp, a Cherries season ticket holder.

“I’ve got the Sky Sports application on my mobile phone and they are one of four teams whose results I have selected, the others being Manchester United, Ipswich and Charlton,” he said.

“I take off my hat off to Eddie Howe and the job he is doing. He was a terrific player and has taken that into management. It’s going to be an exciting end to the season and I’ve got my fingers crossed for them.”