Dean Holdsworth

Dean Holdsworth

Born 8 November 1968 (Age 34 at debut)

Position: Forward

(Diamonds player #168)

Total appearances 7 – 2 goals

(7 League)

Debut:

29 March 2003 (Home Exeter City)

Final game:

3 May 2003 (Home Hartlepool United)

Dean started his playing career as an apprentice with Watford and was given a contract shortly after his 18th birthday in November 1986. In February 1988, he went out on loan to Carlisle United, and then Port Vale the following month until the end of the season. After further loan spells at Swansea City and Brentford during the following season, he signed for Brentford in September 1989. After three years at Brentford where he scored 53 goals in 110 League appearances, he signed for Wimbledon for £720,000 where he was a member of the infamous “Crazy Gang” . His prolific goalscoring earned him a £3½ million move to Bolton Wanderers in October 1997. After a loan move to Coventry City in November 2002, he signed for them before joining Rushden & Diamonds on 27 March 2003 on a non-contract basis until the end of the season.

Dean failed to win a permanent contract at the end of the season, and re-joined Wimbledon (later becoming MK Dons) on 23 May 2003. He went on to join Havant & Waterlooville in a player/coach role, then joined Derby County as assistant to manager Phil Brown. After Brown was sacked in January 2006, Dean then moved to a succession of clubs – Weymouth, Heybridge Swifts, Cambridge United and Newport County. He became player/manager of Redbridge in July 2007, leading them to third place in the Isthmian League Division One North. On 18 May 2008, he was appointed manager of Conference South side Newport County, and guided the club into the Conference the following season. On 11 January 2011, Dean was appointed manager of League Two side Aldershot Town and the club finished in 11th place, but with the Shots struggling for League survival the following season, he was dismissed by the club on 20 February 2013. After a short break, Dean was appointed manager at Conference South side Chelmsford City on 23 May 2013, but after a poor start to the season, and following a 6-0 home defeat against Boreham Wood, he mutually agreed to part company with the club on 4 November 2013. He retired from the game, having a period being involved with the ownership of Bolton Wanderers.

Appearances

2002/2003 – squad number 9