Biography
Hull-born midfielder was a YTS trainee in the mid-1990s and signed professional terms in July 1997. He was given a brief debut by Warren Joyce during the 1998/99 Great Escape season, when City were in the middle of an urgent squad rebuilding exercise following Mark Hateley’s departure. Joyce turned again to Adam in January 1999 and the young midfielder instantly impressed with his endless energy and ability to link up play in attack and win the ball back in defence. It quickly became clear that young Bolder was at a level beyond the Tigers at that time and at the end of March 2000 he signed for Premier League side Derby County.
Introduced to the first team at the end of the following season (he made his debut against Manchester United in May 2001), it wasn’t until 2002 that Bolder won a regular place in the Rams’ senior side following their relegation to the Championship at the end of 2001/02 season – he made 48 appearances (including 41 starts) and scored six goals. He was a regular for three more seasons, often used as a substitute, but by November 2006 he was out of the first team and looking for a move after six years at Pride Park. At that time Bolder had the chance to rejoin Hull City, now elevated two divisions since his time under Warren Joyce and building a squad to compete in the Championship. Adam rejected a move to City citing the greater ambition shown by the club he did join in January 2007, Queens Park Rangers. Events over the next two years, with City powering into the Premier League, made that decision look a bit rank.
Bolder did not settle at QPR after a good run of games at the end of 2006/07, and was loaned to Sheffield Wednesday and Millwall to find a regular game. In January 2009 he joined Millwall permanently but was soon again out of the first team picture and seeking loan moves. In the 2010 close season he joined up-and-coming Midlanders Burton Albion, and in two seasons he played 89 times, bringing his Football League career to a pleasing close.
In 2012 Bolder dropped into the non-league scene and over the next seven years he played for Harrogate Town, North Ferriby United and Scarborough Athletic. At Ferriby he was a pivotal figure in the Ferriby team that ascended the non-league pyramid and won the FA Trophy in 2015. Later, Adam played for his brother Chris Bolder, who was also an ex-professional who came through the City ranks (but never made the first team) and was now the Villagers’ manager. Adam and Chris both played professionally in the same match just once, in 2002 when Adam was at Derby and Chris was at Grimsby Town.
In 2019 Bolder hung up his boots and was appointed leader of the student enrichment programme at Wilberforce Sixth Form College in Hull, where he had already worked as a technician and teacher since leaving Burton Albion. He also did punditry work for BBC Radio Derby. In 2021 Adam was lured out of retirement by his brother Chris, who was manager at phoenix club North Ferriby FC, a club he served well into his early 40s.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 25 October 1980, Hull
Hull City First Game: 23 January 1999, Hartlepool United H (League Division 2), 18 years, 90 days old
Hull City Final Game: 25 March 2000, Darlington H (League Division 2), 19 years, 152 days old
Clubs
Hull City (1997-2000), Derby County (2000-2007), Queens Park Rangers (2007-2009), Sheffield Wednesday (2008, loan), Millwall (2008-2009. loan), Millwall (2009-2010), Bradford City (2010, loan), Burton Albion (2010-2012), Harrogate Town (2012-2014), North Ferriby United (2014-2016), Scarborough Athletic (2016), North Ferriby United (2016-2019), North Ferriby FC (2021-current)
Hull City Record
Career: 23 apps, 0 goals
Adam Bolder| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997/98 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1998/99 | 0 (1) | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1999/00 | 18 (1) | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 (1) | 0 |