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ARTHUR HOLDEN
Born: 23 September 1882
1. Came from: Southend United Went to: Chelsea
1. First game: 02 September 1907 Last game: 13 April 1909
2. Came from: Chelsea Went to: Southend United
2. First game: 03 September 1910 Last game: 06 October 1911
Appearances: 134 (134/0) Goals: 13
Holden, a midfielder, was born in Billingshurst, Sussex, in 1882. He began his career with Western League Portsmouth in 1903 (playing 17 times and scoring twice), before joining Southend United for their 1906-07 title-winning Southern League Second Division season. At Southend, he would have briefly played under former Argyle manager Bob Jack ahead of his pivotal return to Home Park for his seismic and lengthy second spell, which totally transformed the club. Holden himself arrived at Home Park in 1907 and was a fixture in the team at outside-left over the next two years. The club handbook described him as "fast, dashing and noted for accurate centring".
In April 1909, he left Argyle to sign for Football League First Division Chelsea for £400, where he made 20 appearances and scored once during his single season with the club. His goal was against Blackburn Rovers at Stamford Bridge in February 1910, in front of 30,000.
In September 1910, he returned to Home Park, immediately regaining his place on the wing and recapturing his previous good form, despite the presence of Sammy Lamb, who had ostensibly been signed the season before to help replace him. However, Holden then lost his own place in the side during the 1911-12 campaign. He then left the club again, now under Bob Jack's long-term management, at the end of the season, returning to Southern League Division Two side, Southend United, where he ended his career. In total, he had played 134 times and scored 10 goals across two spells at Home Park, spanning four seasons.
Most sources regard that as the end of his footballing career; however, as has been pointed out by the Your Contribution section below, Holden did indeed become a popular player-manager of Aberdare Athletic. Aberdare were elected to the Football League via Division 3 (South) in 1921 and were voted out in 1927, after finishing bottom. They were replaced by Torquay United. They were one of only six Welsh clubs to make it into the Football League - the others being Cardiff City, Swansea City, Wrexham, Newport County and Merthyr Town. A period oval football postcard photo shows a clear black and white image of Holden in the vertical stripes of Aberdare - this was likely published between 1905 and 1910, so it would appear he held the reins just ahead of their heady - and brief - elevation.
Whether that was his only managerial appointment is currently unclear, but whenever he did move out of the game, he returned to where his career began, in Portsmouth, and passed away in December 1953, aged 71.
YOUR CONTRIBUTION
If you can add to this profile, perhaps with special memories, a favourite story or the results of your original research, please contribute here.
From Nigel Meek in Gainsford End, Essex on 27/09/2022 ...
I have found a report in the 30th November 1912 edition of The Merthyr Express p3 as follows:
"The success of the Aberdare Club these last few weeks has given unbounded satisfaction to its followers. The Directors have listened to the clamour of public opinion and have quite recently appointed a player-manager in the person of Mr Arthur Holden, late of Plymouth Argyle. Since his appointment to such a responsible position it is apparent that he has pulled the team splendidly together, and success has resulted. Apart from being a first-class player he makes a splendid manager on account of his tact, courtesy and business ability. He has made his name at football, having played for Plymouth Argyle, Portsmouth and Chelsea [no mention of Southend!]. Mr Holden is very popular at Aberdare."
He re-signed for Southend on 4th July 1912, and played for them at OL v Aberdare in SL2 on 14th Sept 1912, as well as the next SL2 match at Mid Rhondda on 16th Sept. After that he doesn't appear in Southend's 1st team as far as I can tell. So it is possible he joined Aberdare sometime around the end of September. I haven't yet discovered when he left Aberdare, but will update when, (if), I find the information.
His Wikipedia entry makes no reference to his managerial career.
APPEARANCE DETAILS [reselect competitions]
The details below reflect appearances in all first-team competitions.
I'm very grateful to many who have helped write GoS-DB's player pen-pictures, and to Dave Rowntree, the PAFC Media Team and Colin Parsons for their help with photos. Thanks also to staff at the National Football Museum, the Scottish Football Museum and ScotlandsPeople for their valuable assistance.
The following publications have been particularly valuable in the research of pen-pictures: Plymouth Argyle, A Complete Record 1903-1989 (Brian Knight, ISBN 0-907969-40-2); Plymouth Argyle, 101 Golden Greats (Andy Riddle, ISBN 1-874287-47-3); Football League Players' Records 1888-1939 (Michael Joyce, ISBN 1-899468-67-6); Football League Players' Records 1946-1988 (Barry Hugman, ISBN 1-85443-020-3) and Plymouth Argyle Football Club Handbooks.
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