Holmes to Oxford on Loan (1 Month)

[Saint-Reece]

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2609848,00.html

[Leslie Charteris]

Lee Holmes has been loaned out to Oxford United.

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2609848,00.html

Good luck to him, he could do well for them. The Championship was just a step too far, IMHO.

[Leslie Charteris]

Bah! Can't type quick enough! Mods, do your thing please.

[Dr Who?]

I think it will be good for him, and Oxford, who are pushing for promotion. Good luck to both of them.

[hypochondriac]

He will do well in league 2. A nice guy and good luck.

[Lighthouse]

Good luck to him. Sadly there are just too many people called Lee at the club these days.

[doddisalegend]

How do you know the championship was a step to far? how many miniutes of champ football has he actually played this season, I remember him scoring a cracking goal earlier in the season. Lee's biggest problem seems to be he is made of glass rather than his ability.

Hopefully he can stay fit and get some games. I imagine his inability to stay fit for any length of time has done for his saints career rather than his ability to do a job for us on the field.

[Fan The Flames]

Good luck to him

[Saint Garrett]

Surprised he's dropped down to L2, bit of a coup for them IMO.

[SuperSAINT]

Best thing for him is to just try and get a run of games going.

[saints-cris]

Sounds like a decent challenge. Good luck, hope he has a good spell and stays injury free! Hard to believe he's only 25 the amount of times he's been injured

[jam]

Surprised he's dropped down to L2, bit of a coup for them IMO.

Regular football, hopefully the opportunity to have an impact on games and can still live at home with his family, I'd suggest.

[notnowcato]

Good signing for Oxford.

I too am shocked he's only 25.

[alpine_saint]

How do you know the championship was a step to far? how many miniutes of champ football has he actually played this season, I remember him scoring a cracking goal earlier in the season. Lee's biggest problem seems to be he is made of glass rather than his ability.

Hopefully he can stay fit and get some games. I imagine his inability to stay fit for any length of time has done for his saints career rather than his ability to do a job for us on the field.

This.

[Window Cleaner]

How do you know the championship was a step to far? how many miniutes of champ football has he actually played this season, I remember him scoring a cracking goal earlier in the season. Lee's biggest problem seems to be he is made of glass rather than his ability.

Hopefully he can stay fit and get some games. I imagine his inability to stay fit for any length of time has done for his saints career rather than his ability to do a job for us on the field.

Well that's debateable isn't it. As far as I know he's been fit all this season and has been given virtually no opportunities.
That would be rather because the manager considers his skills as lesser than the other players available rather than fear of him getting injured.

Holmes would be out of contract this summer so as we have little apparent use for him then it's logical that he's been allowed to try to show what he can do elsewhere.

[Leslie Charteris]

How do you know the championship was a step to far? how many miniutes of champ football has he actually played this season, I remember him scoring a cracking goal earlier in the season. Lee's biggest problem seems to be he is made of glass rather than his ability.

Hopefully he can stay fit and get some games. I imagine his inability to stay fit for any length of time has done for his saints career rather than his ability to do a job for us on the field.

Football is all about opinions, and, OK he hasn't really had a fair crack this season, but when he has played, he's hardly dazzled. I am disappointed for him like I'm disappointed for Dan Harding. They've just looked wanting at this level - all IMHO, of course.

[This Charming Man]

Not good enough for us but that's a great signing for Oxford.

[Jack]

Good luck to him, unfortunately he's just not good enough for us. I reckon he could do a job at a bottom half championship side though. Good signing for Oxford

[Spudgun]

Good luck to him. Sadly there are just too many people called Lee at the club these days.
Don't such a Leeist. Leeisum just ain't Saintly FFS.

[Dimond Geezer]

That's a surprisingly big drop for him to L2.
Good luck to him & hope he can stay fit & get regular football.

[Alain Perrin]

Commutable from Southampton area so a sensible place for a fitness loan. I like Lee Holmes but agree on his injury record hampering him, certainly an upper half League 1 / lower Championship player if the team plays to his strengths.

Good luck Lee.

[adriansfc]

Easily a good league 1 player. Surprising not more demand for him.

[Chez]

Nice first touch, and a great attitude, but that's it. Not good enough and never was. When we were struggling to avoid going bust I could just about live with it, but not now. Never anything but a great professional, but there is no room for sentiment in professional football. Best of luck to him.

[dvaughanwilliams]

I've always been impressed by his application and his attitude. It's possible that these qualities have made me consider him in a too favourable light, but I've always thought he was a decent player. He plays a position with discipline, tracks back and has a fairly decent cross.

I was also surprised that he dropped down to League 2, surely he's better than that. I guess the only advantage to that is that he should play every game. League 2 does have a reputation for harsh tackling though. Wonder how long he'll stay fit?

[Bananaman]

Met Lee a few weeks ago, he was really a very nice guy who took the time to stop and talk to an old boy who waffled on for quite a while and was happy to stop and pose for photos. Good luck to him, top bloke

[buctootim]

Like others am surprised he is dropping down to lg2. Maybe its because he has only played 24 games in the past three and a half years so has dropped off of other managers' radar. A good spell at Oxford will get him a lot more options f'sure.

[david in sweden]

Think some of the past criticism of Holmes is a bit unfair. In the start he had a run of games and scored a couple of goals (?) then one injury ..and another.
Sincwe which the occasional sub.app for 5-30 mins. isn't real football and if he gets half a dozen games at L2 level we might see a totally different player returning to us.

He always struck me as one player who so much potential and never the chance to string a few games together - hardly his fault.
Good Luck Lee.

[scotty]

Model professional, gives 100% and also comes across as a thoroughly decent bloke, but given his injury history I just cant see him figuring in NA's plans from here on in. Oxford is a good loan move for him and for them, hopefully he will get a proper run of games there. Best of British luck to him, I really hope he does well there. Would be fantastic to see Lee help Oxford to promotion.

[Lazlo78]

If he manages to stay fit he should have a big impact in League 2! Getting regular footy would do wonders for his fitness and confidence - and maybe give a stronger hint on what his real level is... I'd love to hear regular updates on this one!

[Leicestersaint]

He is only loaned for a month initially. I wish him well - I thought he could make the grade for us but hasn't so far.

[Smirking_Saint]

This

[sammysaint]

Top Pro after he scored a few weeks ago, thought he might of got more of a run, but puncheons return has effected his chances.

I think if he does well and comes back fully fit he might be involved more specially if one of the main lads Guly Puncheon or Lallana get injured (touch wood not Lallana).

[Lazlo78]

Got the entire second half today in their 2-1 win over Dagenham. Can't find any mention of how he did...

[Lighthouse]

Don't such a Leeist. Leeisum just ain't Saintly FFS.

They come over here, taking jobs from our Dans.

[Lazlo78]

He's receiving some praise in this thread: http://www.yellowsforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=oufcplayers&action=display&thread=7671

Edit: and here: http://www.yellowsforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=oufcplayers&action=display&thread=7669

[VectisSaint]

Sadly a case of one of the brightest prospects never really being able to make the grade as expected. His early career (before saints) showed he was being considered as one of the hottest prospects around, you really don't get to be England U19 skipper if you are "not good enough", and to make your pro debut when 15 shows he was probably in the same class as Oxo or Walcott. Seemed to lose his way a little at Derby (coincidence that Burley was manager?) and then to come into the Agent Orange set up at Saints was probably a disaster for his career, compounded of course by serious injury. I suspect his injury has meant that he has lost some of his pace, and in his position that is a fundamental issue. He needs games now to get back to full fitness, and probably needs to consider more of a central midfield role, rather than a winger. Will never make it at Saints now assuming we go up, but really is still perfectly able in the Championship for a mid-table team.
Nice bloke, wish him well, but not a long-term prospect for Saints.

[StDunko]

They come over here, taking jobs from our Dans.

Made me laugh!

[Lazlo78]

Holmes got a full game last night in Oxford's 2-1 win over Barnet. He set up the equaliser with a cross.

"Holmes is a great loan signing. He just keeps on going and can cross a ball."

[niceandfriendly]

Good on him. Still think he's pretty decent back up in the Championship.

[mitch01]

I thought he was excellent when he first arrived in that shocking team we had in 2008. The injury setbacks he had that season put pay to his chances of a real career at this level, IMO.

[david in sweden]

g
Sadly a case of one of the brightest prospects never really being able to make the grade as expected. His early career (before saints) showed he was being considered as one of the hottest prospects around, you really don't get to be England U19 skipper if you are "not good enough", and to make your pro debut when 15 shows he was probably in the same class as Oxo or Walcott. Seemed to lose his way a little at Derby (coincidence that Burley was manager?) and then to come into the Agent Orange set up at Saints was probably a disaster for his career, compounded of course by serious injury. I suspect his injury has meant that he has lost some of his pace, and in his position that is a fundamental issue. He needs games now to get back to full fitness, and probably needs to consider more of a central midfield role, rather than a winger. Will never make it at Saints now assuming we go up, but really is still perfectly able in the Championship for a mid-table team.
Nice bloke, wish him well, but not a long-term prospect for Saints.



I agree Vectis - in part... the whole issue over his future is a lot of IF's......


Asssuming that he continues to be MOM at Oxford, stays fit ..and puts in a goal or two, I would want him to stay.
I cannot picture him as first-choice, but someone who CDAJFU as a type SDR /JP. For my part ..the jury is still out.
He is still relatively young, has a lot of experience and it would be a shame if he didn't get ONE more chance at the top level.

Failing that, he will be a good acquisition for a CC/ L1 side.

[Saint Garrett]

Lee got both of Oxfords assists in their game today against Swindon. Finished 2-0 to Oxford and Oxford had 10 men for 80 minutes.

[Lazlo78]

From their match thread:

"That was a long 45! Clarke and Holmes were superb, amazing game, let's push on to league one!"

[Jonnyboy]

Found his level.

[Le Goddard]

think he's got about 4 assists so far during his loan. Great that he's getting some game time.