Oliver Holt

[Bowman's Quiver]

I didn’t know he had been released by Crystal Palace and Brentford earlier in his career.

I didn’t know Reading manager Steve Coppell had put him on the bench match after match after match.

I didn’t know he had set a record for how many times he came on as a substitute and that Bobby Convey, the man who was keeping him out of the team, was injured the day before the Chelsea game.

I didn’t know how much Hunt had invested emotionally in that game because it could be his breakthrough moment.

I didn’t know how desperately a man who had had ‘more downs than ups in his career’ wanted to be ­remembered for ­something good that day.

There's a touch of the "for Brutus is an honourable man" speech about all that.

Either that, or he's a piss-poor reporter.

[floyd__streete]

Meh cba to read anything written by HoLOLt. Tbh I am not hugely fussed by any mainstream print football journalists in this country; the same people who hounded the likes of Bobby Robson when he was in the England job then sanctified him when he died. The best thing I can say about Holt is that at least he's not Martin Samuel.

[Ian Royal]

That's a long winded and excuse ridden way of admitting not only that he was wrong, but that he was unfair and it was poorly researched and written.

[Yellowcoat]

Just about sums up Holt as the overrated journalist he is. No proper research before venting his spleen. Sad that yet another paper have been stupid enough to employ this waste of space.

[No Fixed Abode]

The only reason Holt (At the time) was overly controversial about this incident was to raise his profile. And it worked.

[Kitsondinho]

Ridiculous that it took Holt such a long time to apologise to Hunt, especially as he continued to hold it against him all that time, but the man who was actually injured in the incident accepted Hunt's apology as soon as it came.

[Gordons Cumming]

Big scary man with a big pencil writes something mean and nasty about our precious little clubedy wubbedy...

Wibble.

I think you'll find he probably used a computer.

HTH

[TBM]

I don't remember it happening after just 20 seconds either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfeAsrVN1RU

[Armadillo Roadkill]

Quite a brave and decent article by Holt. He got it wrong and years later was big enough to admit it. Pretty rare thing I'd say.

Also, I'm not sure it's fair to say Hunty left in a bad way or that his leaving was betrayal. IIRC he actually wrote an open letter to the fans via the OS to explain his reasons in an open and honest way. How many exiting players did that, eh?

And the casual racism thrown at him was always deeply unpleasant.

[ZacNaloen]

Quite a brave and decent article by Holt. He got it wrong and years later was big enough to admit it. Pretty rare thing I'd say.

Also, I'm not sure it's fair to say Hunty left in a bad way or that his leaving was betrayal. IIRC he actually wrote an open letter to the fans via the OS to explain his reasons in an open and honest way. How many exiting players did that, eh?

And the casual racism thrown at him was always deeply unpleasant.

I remember some controversy from some quarters as to whether it was racist.

[Royal Rother]

Quite a brave and decent article by Holt. He got it wrong and years later was big enough to admit it. Pretty rare thing I'd say.

Also, I'm not sure it's fair to say Hunty left in a bad way or that his leaving was betrayal. IIRC he actually wrote an open letter to the fans via the OS to explain his reasons in an open and honest way. How many exiting players did that, eh?

And the casual racism thrown at him was always deeply unpleasant.

Completely agree.

[tmesis]

Quite a brave and decent article by Holt. He got it wrong and years later was big enough to admit it. Pretty rare thing I'd say.

Also, I'm not sure it's fair to say Hunty left in a bad way or that his leaving was betrayal. IIRC he actually wrote an open letter to the fans via the OS to explain his reasons in an open and honest way. How many exiting players did that, eh?

And the casual racism thrown at him was always deeply unpleasant.

Completely agree.

I think it did mainly start after his "d'ya like dags" interview, as something of a joke, but went its own way in the eyes of some from there.

[Whatevs]

Thanks for posting that, Pepe. Still a fair bit of grandstanding by Holt in that. Hadn't realised that was Hunt's first start for us.
FWIW, I don't begrudge Hunt wanting to leave. His dip in form after Xmas when were chasing promotion was irritating but SC should've managed him and the team better in that slump.

It was Hunt's first Premier League start, live on Sky, against the reigning champions. No wonder he was fired up no doubt the coaches told him to make his presence felt. Don't know if it was after 20 seconds but it was definitely inside the first minute.

Was it avoidable? Of course it was avoidable if you want to make football a non contact sport. Was it deliberate? Absolutely not, an unfortunate accident. Very magnaminous of Holt, but, as Hunt suggested, probably about 6 years too late. As a "respected", award winning journalist he really should have sought out both sides of the story before writing such tawdry opinion pieces.
`

it was a fcuking penalty but that NEVER gets talked about

[Big Foot]

The thing that stands out in that article for me, is that Hunt saw Holt just after his team had been releg8ed and his immediate thought was to bring up his own personal grievances with Holt. Just about sums up the selfish little hobbit, IMHO.

[Royal Rother]

Oh dear.

[AthleticoSpizz]

The thing that stands out in that article for me, is that Hunt saw Holt just after his team had been releg8ed and his immediate thought was to bring up his own personal grievances with Holt. Just about sums up the selfish little hobbit, IMHO.

Sounds like the perfect time "IMHO"

[Big Foot]

The thing that stands out in that article for me, is that Hunt saw Holt just after his team had been releg8ed and his immediate thought was to bring up his own personal grievances with Holt. Just about sums up the selfish little hobbit, IMHO.

Sounds like the perfect time "IMHO"

The next time Reading get releg8ed, should a player put himself before the team then I say we stone him to death outside the Town Hall, IMHO. Do you not agree

[AthleticoSpizz]

I would have thought just having been relegated and being no doubt, very pissed off (and maybe even a little punchy), would be the perfect time to confront Mr Holt, no?

[total_biscuit]

... plus no mention that Cech had an abnormally thin skull - which is why he still wears head protection.

TB

[Forbury Lion]

... plus no mention that Cech had an abnormally thin skull - which is why he still wears head protection.

TB

^^ Maybe they should check goalkeepers skull thickness as part of the medicals?