488 Eric Holah

Biography

Eric Tansley Holah was born in Hull and played for Malet Lambert Old Boys in his late teens prior to joining the amateur ranks at Hull City in 1958. A regular performer in the reserves, Holah saw little chance of first team action as he sat in the centre forwards’ queue behind teenage sensation Chris Chilton, precipitating a repurposing so he could also play at right half. On April Fools’ Day 1961, a fortnight after scoring a hattrick for the Reserves, Holah got his only first team chance, as a striker, and scored in a 3-2 win over Watford. But a few weeks later he left the club.

Holah joined Bradford City in July 1961, signing professional terms for the first time as he was reunited with former City manager Bob Brocklebank. He started four Division Four games in September and October 1961, scoring twice against Chesterfield and Millwall. However he was soon consigned to the Bantams’ Reserves and left Valley Parade in the 1963 close season. He signed for Midland League side Goole Town in August 1963 then a year later he switched to Yorkshire League side Bridlington Town and took a job working for the Council in Hull. After serving Town for three years Eric decided to attend teacher training college in October 1967 and left the club.

In the early weeks of 1968 Holah surfaced in Crewe Alexandra’s reserves, by now playing at centre back rather than centre forward. He signed for Holyhead Town at the start of the 1968/69 season but was released within a few weeks, in January 1969 he joined Cheshire County League side Ellesmere Port Town on semi-professional terms while studying at a local college. He remained with Ellesmere Port until the 1970 close season.

By August 1970 Eric was back in Bridlington to take up a teaching appointment at Headlands School and in October 1970 he signed for Bridlington Trinity, local rivals to his former club. In October 1972 he was appointed first team manager at Bridlington Town but within weeks he was struggling to field 11 players and having to name himself in the first team. In April 1973 Town advertised the role of manager in the local press and Eric, taking the hint, left the club a month later. He rejoined Bridlington Trinity as a player in August 1973 but later that season hung up his boots to take up coaching roles for the East Riding Schoolboys side and local side Bridlington YC. In July 1980 he was appointed secretary at Bridlington Town and within weeks he was again pressed into first team action alongside first team manager Ken Wagstaff. He retained his administrative role at Bridlington Town for much of the 1980s while continuing to teach PE at Headlands School.

Holah’s sister Audrey married another ex-Tiger David Fraser. Eric lived in the Bridlington area and worked as a school teacher for many years until moving to Great Cambourne in Cambridgeshire later in life.

Details

Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 3 August 1937, Hull
Hull City First Game: 1 April 1961, Watford H (Division Three), 23 years, 241 days old
Hull City Final Game: 1 April 1961, Watford H (Division Three), 23 years, 241 days old

Clubs

Hull City (1958-1961), Bradford City (1961-1963), Goole Town (1963-1964), Bridlington Town (1964-1967), Crewe Alexandra (1968), Holyhead Town (1968), Ellesmere Port Town (1969-1970), Bridlington Trinity (1970-1972), Bridlington Town (1972-1973), Bridlington Trinity (1973-1974), Bridlington Town (1980)

Hull City Record

Career: 1 apps, 1 goals

Eric Holah
SeasonLGE
App
LGE
Gls
FAC
App
FAC
Gls
FLC
App
FLC
Gls
EUR
App
EUR
Gls
OTH
App
OTH
Gls
1958/59
1959/60
1960/6111

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