Striker arrives on loan
Huddersfield Town has today bolstered its attacking options with the signing of striker Grant Holt on an emergency loan from Wigan Athletic until 8 November inclusive.
The 33 year-old signed on the dotted line on Friday afternoon and is available for today’s Sky Bet Championship game at home to Millwall.
Wigan Athletic has a recall clause after the first 28 days.
Holt brings a vast wealth of experience to Town’s forward line. Named in the Championship Team of the Year as recently as 2011, he has netted 181 goals in 489 domestic appearances during a career spanning the Premier League and all divisions of the Football League.
Grant played in the Premier League for Aston Villa last season on loan from Wigan, who signed him in 2013 from Norwich City. He won the ‘Player of the Year’ accolade on three occasions at Carrow Road thanks to 52 goals in 93 appearances as the Club secured back-to-back promotions from League 1 to the top flight.
Owen Coyle swooped to take Holt to the DW Stadium as one of his major summer signings in 2013, before Coyle departed Wigan after a short managerial tenure and was replaced by Uwe Rosler. Paul Lambert moved quickly to take his former Norwich City front man to Premier League Aston Villa, where he featured on occasions.
Huddersfield Town Manager Chris Powell commented:
“We’ve made no secret of our desire to strengthen our forward options and I’m delighted that we’ve managed to secure the services of an experienced Championship forward in Grant ahead of Saturday’s game.
“Entering the loan market is difficult, as a lot of clubs are competing for a very small pool of the same players.
Grant’s spell at Wigan hasn’t worked out as he wanted, but aside from that he has scored goals at every club he has played for.
“He is a good character who arrives at our Club with a point to prove.
“He looks in good shape and adds a physical presence to our forward line, which I feel we need to complement and help the likes of Nahki Wells.”
Holt started his career in non-league, eventually signing for Sheffield Wednesday in 2003. However, it was at League 2 Rochdale in 2004 where he really made his breakthrough, netting 42 goals in 83 appearances.
He moved to Nottingham Forest in January 2006 and, after a slow start, he was the Club’s top scorer with 18 goals in the 2006/07 League 1 campaign. After another successful season in League 2 with Shrewsbury – he grabbed 28 goals in 2008/09 – Holt moved to Norwich City, where he was greatly successful in helping the Club reach the Premier League.
Grant will wear the number 16 shirt during his time at Huddersfield Town.
