The sudden growth of Twitter during this football season has seen too many stories of wrong doing, too many ‘outspoken’ footballers tweeting and getting into trouble and too many over-paid ‘superstars’ getting slaps on the wrist for reacting to fans. But the scene on my Twitter timeline this Friday night was not of Michael Owen exchanging words with Piers Morgan or Mario Balotelli telling us all that he rules but of a simple hard working man who will be leaving the claret shores of Northampton Town this summer.
Since the news broke earlier in the day that Andy Holt would be leaving the Cobblers, endless Town fans took to the social media site to pay their tributes directly to the man himself. Such are the links these days through Twitter (other social networks are available), fans have been able to speak straight to the man himself and there’s hardly ever been a more deserving recipient of such an outpouring of tributes. But this isn’t about Twitter…in fact it’s about a man who epitomises what some would call the exact opposite of the social media generation.
Andy Holt is from the old school and would have slotted straight into one of Ian Atkins’ sides back in the nineties. Perhaps that’s what first made some of us love this guy in the first place – he immediately set himself aside as a no nonsense tackler and decent bloke off the pitch as well. In a time when Premier League riches are taking over with scary amounts of money being thrown around to players who warm benches it has been refreshing to have Andy Holt as a member of the club we love for six years. Holt has never played more games for one club (190 Town appearances) with the closest being his first club, Oldham Athletic (114). Through Hull City, Barnsley, Shrewsbury and Wrexham, his journey brought him to Sixfields in 2006 and all these years later we’re here tonight thanking him.
Thanking him not for silky skills, pacy runs down the wing or hundreds of goals but for being what every single football fan wants to see in a player when they pull on their club’s shirt – someone who simply gives his all. To say that Holty did that is, quite honestly, an understatement and I don’t really know what other words I can use to thank the man for giving 100% for my club over these past six years. Thank You seems easy and hollow but it’s all I have!
I think I speak for all Cobblers fans in wishing Holty the very best and if ever a managerial spot becomes vacant here then I’m sure he will be welcomed back with open arms.
Good Luck Holty…and Thank You!
A Load Of Cobblers 