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Who was Alan Ball talking about?

Fitzhugh Fella

By Fitzhugh Fella,
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Fitzhugh Fella

Fitzhugh Fella

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As it is a bit quiet on here how about a quick quiz question

 

“He was one of the best pound for pound pros I ever played with in my entire career. I loved playing alongside him and he was always terrific – he would get you goals, he could defend, I never thought he had a bad game"

 

Alan Ball Oct 2003

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EastleighSoulBoy

EastleighSoulBoy

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As it is a bit quiet on here how about a quick quiz question

 

“He was one of the best pound for pound pros I ever played with in my entire career. I loved playing alongside him and he was always terrific – he would get you goals, he could defend, I never thought he had a bad game"

 

Alan Ball Oct 2003

 

I'd have a guess at Steve Williams?

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Gemmel

Gemmel

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Nick Holmes - quite an accolade from Bally - if I were Nick (we were the same school year) I would be chuffed to hell. And it has to be said a really nice guy to boot.

 

I remember meeting Nick once, I was about 10 and to get in the front of the Milton, we used to start queing from about 12.00'ish. He walked past and someone joked had his motor broken down and he laughed and said it actually had and he had to walk to the game.

 

Can't quite see the modern footballer suffering from a broken down car......... I wonder what a Nick Holmes would be worth in today's market?

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sadoldgit

sadoldgit

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Nick Holmes was one of the most under rated players. Alan Ball was right he never seemed to have a bad game. One of Mcmenemys " hod carriers", but what a fantastic player and servant to our club. I hope he looks back on his career with great pride, because he should.

 

Although we lost to Forest in the League Cup Final his goal was good enough to grace Wembley and to win any final. We could do with his like now.

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Fitzhugh Fella

Fitzhugh Fella

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I remember meeting Nick once, I was about 10 and to get in the front of the Milton, we used to start queing from about 12.00'ish. He walked past and someone joked had his motor broken down and he laughed and said it actually had and he had to walk to the game.

 

Can't quite see the modern footballer suffering from a broken down car......... I wonder what a Nick Holmes would be worth in today's market?

 

God could he do a job for us now.

I think Ball's testimonial says it all - lets face it Alan Ball shared a stage with some of the world's greatest and yet pound for pound the Woolston born Nick is right up there.

Probably the best local discovery of all time who stayed with the club. That rules out Ted Drake who I met once and told me he was always proud of his Southampton heritage.

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Victor

Victor

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Nick Holmes was one of the most under rated players. Alan Ball was right he never seemed to have a bad game. One of Mcmenemys " hod carriers", but what a fantastic player and servant to our club. I hope he looks back on his career with great pride, because he should.

 

I hate it when people say he was underrated. He certainly was not by Saints fans who saw him play.

 

If he was underrated by managers of other teams then great, I'm forever grateful that they did underrate him.

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dubai_phil

dubai_phil

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Met Nick Holmes a few times when I was a kid. He used to play squash with my old man. And win on a regular basis. Very nice bloke as I remember.

 

And was a damned fine village cricketer in the Salisbury & District Leagues.

 

Was an early highlight of my "sporting career" (yeah right) that I actually competed against him on a number of occassions (and we won once!). Nice guy

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mickn

mickn

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Did he ever win Player of the season? Great goal vrs Watford in first leg of League Cup years ago, nearly from half way line. Dont mention the second leg! Great player, would have walked in to the All Star Bearded Eleven.

 

Scored a cracker against Liverpool as well, think it was the winner at the Dell

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Prince Jazzbo

Prince Jazzbo

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For some reason whenever anyone talks about Nick, the first thought I have is when he committed that deliberate handball at Arsenal in the old league cup. Apparently he blacked out and, from my recollection almost caught the ball from a cross coming into the penalty area.

 

Apart from that, he was a great player for us, and does not get nearly enough recognition for that. He was the only player that was at the club throughout our entire 'successful' period, he was there for our FA win, promotion, league cup final, FA Semis, and Div 1 runners up, thats quite an impressive record. Forgive me if I'm wrong but no other players were there from the start to the finish of that era, were they?

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Tamesaint

Tamesaint

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I can remember standing up for him in an argument in the away end at Loftus Road in what was probably his last season. He had not being having a good game whwn some young lad (he is probably at least mid 30's now) called Nick Holmes an old effing useless tart. It was a bit like using that phrase to describe the Queen Mum!!!

 

We did have fun debating that one!!!

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Crazy Diamond

Crazy Diamond

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Anyone know what he's doing now?

 

I've heard so much about him as a player and he did wonders at Salisbury City. I'm in my final year at uni down in Bournemouth and am starting my final project which will be a documentary about life after football. If anyone knows a way of contacting him, or any ex-Saints for that matter, then please let me know!

 

I'm thinking of getting in contact with Mick due to his successes with the gee-gees and wouldn't mind visiting Terry Paine, but believe it or not a student loan won't get me a return flight to America...!

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Gemmel

Gemmel

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Thanks for that Gemm, I was at that game in the Milton but had forgotten what a demolition job that was! When you watch the clip three things hit you - passing, pace, and passion!...

 

I was in the same stand , 11 years old and took for granted the passing, pace and passion we played with. I thought that was how all football was played. In many ways we were spolit, but still wouldnt swap those memories for anything.

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Dimond Geezer

Dimond Geezer

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He gave Steve Moran the mother of all boll*ckings once when we were defending a corner. I think the whole ground heard it.

 

He had a nice beard.

 

I remember that. Must have been at the Milton Rd end, it one of those times when the crowd had gone quite, and as clear as a bell you heard "f***ing hell Stevie" being hollered.

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Norm

Norm

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Anyone know what he's doing now?

 

I've heard so much about him as a player and he did wonders at Salisbury City. I'm in my final year at uni down in Bournemouth and am starting my final project which will be a documentary about life after football. If anyone knows a way of contacting him, or any ex-Saints for that matter, then please let me know!

 

I'm thinking of getting in contact with Mick due to his successes with the gee-gees and wouldn't mind visiting Terry Paine, but believe it or not a student loan won't get me a return flight to America...!

 

 

 

Terry lives in South Africa.

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CLOTH EARS

CLOTH EARS

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Nick Holmes - quite an accolade from Bally - if I were Nick (we were the same school year) I would be chuffed to hell. And it has to be said a really nice guy to boot.

 

I have met Nick Holmes only once and what a lovely guy he is. Salisbury came down to T******d Park to play AFC Totton in a pre season game last season and although Tommy Widdrington had taken over as manager Nick was still involved. Anyway, as i am involved at AFC Totton i took the opportunity to offer to make Nick a cup of tea and have a chat with him. I told him that i was a kid in the 70's and grew up watching him at the Dell and he was very talkative but he was quietly spoken. He genuinely loved talking about the 'good old days' as he referred to them, we talked about the Lawries, the Osgoods, the Channons and so on and he was loving it! I told him that i was sorry if i was yabbering on too much but its not often you get to talk to one of your childhood heroes, he replied "its not a problem, i love talking about those days". What a truelly lovely fella he is. If only the current day footballers could be like NIck!

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Fitzhugh Fella

Fitzhugh Fella

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I have met Nick Holmes only once and what a lovely guy he is. Salisbury came down to T******d Park to play AFC Totton in a pre season game last season and although Tommy Widdrington had taken over as manager Nick was still involved. Anyway, as i am involved at AFC Totton i took the opportunity to offer to make Nick a cup of tea and have a chat with him. I told him that i was a kid in the 70's and grew up watching him at the Dell and he was very talkative but he was quietly spoken. He genuinely loved talking about the 'good old days' as he referred to them, we talked about the Lawries, the Osgoods, the Channons and so on and he was loving it! I told him that i was sorry if i was yabbering on too much but its not often you get to talk to one of your childhood heroes, he replied "its not a problem, i love talking about those days". What a truelly lovely fella he is. If only the current day footballers could be like NIck!

 

I once visited Nick at his newsagents/store near Salisbury and asked to see his FA Cup medal to take a photo. He and his wife could not find it which proved to me just how down to earth and unpretentious they were. No cabinets and boasting for them. A more down to earth bloke you could not wish to meet. I hope he has found it since!!!!

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Nadia Sllim

Nadia Sllim

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I once visited Nick at his newsagents/store near Salisbury and asked to see his FA Cup medal to take a photo. He and his wife could not find it which proved to me just how down to earth and unpretentious they were. No cabinets and boasting for them. A more down to earth bloke you could not wish to meet. I hope he has found it since!!!!

 

And to think Ossie nearly lost the Cup?

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david in sweden

david in sweden

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God could he do a job for us now.

I think Ball's testimonial says it all - lets face it Alan Ball shared a stage with some of the world's greatest and yet pound for pound the Woolston born Nick is right up there.

Probably the best local discovery of all time who stayed with the club. That rules out Ted Drake who I met once and told me he was always proud of his Southampton heritage.

 

IMHO - you can continue to heap praise on Nick.

One of the very few (local) So'ton-born players to play over than 100 games and also was captain of the side for quite some time.

My well-thumbed edition of ITN also shows that in days when players had the shirt number of their position every game , Nick ..held the distinction of wearing shirts for quite a few different ones..and always played whatever role Lawrie Mac wanted him to do, a great club man.

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