Shrewsbury Town were today on the brink of landing Grant Holt as the first in a fresh wave of major summer signings.Town were hoping to tie up the formalities on what would be a major coup after agreeing a deal with Nottingham Forest for the 27-year-old forward.
There was no confirmation of the fee involved, but it is sure to have required a very significant outlay for a player who cost Forest £300,000 in January 2006.
Carlisle and Hartlepool are understood to have been tracking Holt in recent months, while sources in Nottingham claim Rochdale, who are also understood to have agreed a fee with Forest, were desperate to re-sign their former frontman.
But all the signs this morning were that Town have won the race to lure Holt - a player with a proven goalscoring track record in League Two - to Oteley Road.
Holt began his career in non-League with Workington, Halifax and Barrow, before earning his break in the Football League with Sheffield Wednesday.
The striker spent a little under a year at Hillsborough before heading to Rochdale in 2004.
A record of a goal every two games - 42 in 85 - earned Holt hero status at Spotland and attracted the attention of Forest who took him to the City Ground.
Despite limited appearances in 2006-7, the Carlisle-born striker was the top scorer after finding the net 18 times, a return which earned him the club’s Player of the Season award.
But Holt fell down the pecking order under Forest boss Colin Calderwood last season and managed just three goals before heading to the Championship for a loan spell with Blackpool.
Should the deal be completed, Holt would join midfielder Paul Murray and young ex-Carlisle winger Stephen Hindmarch as Town’s summer signings to date.
Manager Paul Simpson will be hopeful of adding to his recruits over the coming days, with Bristol Rovers striker Richard Walker also amongst his targets.
By James Garrison
14 Comments
Get him signed up he should be worth 20+ goals in league 2.
Up the Town !
If this is confirmed it will be an amazing signing and a show of intent from the club.
Onwards and upwards, well done Roland, Rob and Simmo.
shoud’nt off let cook go. hult is past it at 27
WOW….thing signing is amazing!!!!
All we need is another CB & Attacking MF and we could go for the League Cup……
Yet to actually put pen to paper so let’s not get too carried away just yet - Let this be the 1st W of the WOW factor, with another couple of quality signings including Graham Coughlan from Rotherham in defense along with Graham Lee and another influential workhorse in central midfield to play alongside Murray and 33/1 is looking a good bet.
Glad I renewed my season ticket!
That is quality if it comes off … it shows the ambition of Roland and Simmo ..
It goes to show that we are among the bigger sides in this league
almost wow factor one, almost
I remember when he was at Rochdale, they came to Gay Meadow and we were all taking mickey about his weight.
He was quite funny about it to be fair, holding his stomach and laughing with us.
Holt is not good enough for the Champ, his first season was pretty good for us and in fact won player of the season. Calderwood then played him on the wing?!?! If played in the middle with back to goal he will score goals, huffs and puffs a bit but works hard most of the time. I know this for certain in League Two he will hit the onion bag and will probably be top scorer. Born in Salop so got a soft spot for you, good luck and I am sure he will do the business.
More than hoping at the moment.
UP THE TOWN
on the brink, closer, is he or isn’t he. if he decides wake me up. wow factor low at present
great news - he will be a star for us
Could be a great signing for us, but we will need to provide for him. If he is left up front to slog it out with the type of service our front men got last season then he’s in for a hard time. But I am sure Mr Simpson will be looking to address all the problems and not just making a “splash the cash” gesture to put a few bums on seats.