3 – Progression Through The Ranks
Holding has been a major part of Bolton’s squad for a very long time, and when he eventually leaves it’ll be a massive change for the youngster so things could take time.
Having joined the academy when he was just seven years old, Holding has played above his age group on many occasions which eventually let him pick up first team football.
At the beginning of March in 2015 Holding was sent out on loan to Bury where he made just one appearance for the senior side who were in desperate need of defensive reinforcements.
His spell didn’t last long and he eventually made his debut for Bolton at the beginning of the 2015/16 campaign in the League Cup where his side went on to lose 1-0 to Burton Albion.
What this tells us is although he is a one-club player at the moment, it’s a massive transition for him to come into a Premier League side with players all competing for a limited position in the first team.
Holding will go from being first on the team sheet to sitting on the bench quite rapidly, and mentally that can be a very difficult and long hangover spell to put himself through.
Ideally he would welcome a loan spell to a lesser club in the Premier League, where game time is a little bit easier to come by.