DEATH OF FORMER ENGLAND FOOTBALLER WHO ONCE COACHED AT BLUNDELL PARK

                                                  

Speedy winger Doug Holden played in three FA Cup Finals and won five England caps 

THE death, aged 90,  has been reported  of former England international footballer Doug Holden who had a short spell coaching The Mariners.

It was after his playing days were over that Holden came to Blundell Park in 1970, but he only spent two seasons at Grimsby Town before accepting the job of manager with Kent side Dartford of the Southern League.

Holden was the last survivor of the famous 'Stanley Matthews Cup Final' of 1953 when Blackpool came from 3-1 down to beat Bolton Wanderers  4-3.

Defeat was a bitter disappointment for speedy winger Holden and his Bolton team mates, but, five years later, he won an FA Cup  winner's medal when Bolton beat Manchester United.

Six years later, he was at Wembley again, this time with Preston North End for whom he scored, but it was the other side, West Ham United, that lifted the  trophy.

Holden won five England caps but would have won more had it not been for Stanley Matthews and Tom Finney who were always top pick.

After his football career was over, Manchester-born  Holden built up a successful property business.