Ian Holloway facts for kids
Holloway in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ian Scott Holloway | ||
| Date of birth | 12 March 1963 | ||
| Place of birth | Kingswood, Gloucestershire, England |
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| Height | 173cm | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Swindon Town (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| – | Bristol Rovers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1980–1985 | Bristol Rovers | 111 | (15) |
| 1985–1986 | Wimbledon | 19 | (2) |
| 1986–1987 | Brentford | 29 | (2) |
| 1987 | → Torquay United (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 1987–1991 | Bristol Rovers | 179 | (26) |
| 1991–1996 | Queens Park Rangers | 147 | (4) |
| 1996–1999 | Bristol Rovers | 107 | (1) |
| Total | 597 | (50) | |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1996–2001 | Bristol Rovers | ||
| 2001–2006 | Queens Park Rangers | ||
| 2006–2007 | Plymouth Argyle | ||
| 2007–2008 | Leicester City | ||
| 2009–2012 | Blackpool | ||
| 2012–2013 | Crystal Palace | ||
| 2014–2015 | Millwall | ||
| 2016–2018 | Queens Park Rangers | ||
| 2019–2020 | Grimsby Town | ||
| 2024– | Swindon Town | ||
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Ian Scott Holloway (born 12 March 1963) is an English professional football manager and former player. He is also known as a media personality and television pundit. Currently, he manages the League Two club Swindon Town.
Ian, often called "Ollie," was a midfielder during his playing days. He played in the Premier League for Queens Park Rangers, where he played nearly 150 games over five years. He spent most of his career at his childhood club, Bristol Rovers, playing there three times. He was also part of the Wimbledon team that moved up to the top league in 1986. He also played for Brentford and Torquay United.
Later in his career, while playing for Bristol Rovers for the third time, he became a player-manager. He stopped playing in 1999 to focus fully on managing. He has managed several clubs, including Queens Park Rangers (where he helped them get promoted in 2003–04), Plymouth Argyle, Leicester City, Blackpool, Crystal Palace, and Millwall. He led both Blackpool and Crystal Palace to promotion into the Premier League. Ian is famous for his funny and unique interviews, often using interesting metaphors.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Ian Holloway grew up in Cadbury Heath, near Bristol. He started his football journey as a young player with his local team, Bristol Rovers. He became a professional player in March 1981 and made his first league appearance that same year. He usually played on the right side of the midfield.
After four seasons with Bristol Rovers, he moved to Wimbledon in July 1985. His time at Wimbledon was short, as he moved to Brentford in March 1986. In January 1987, he played five games on loan for Torquay United.
In August 1987, Ian returned to Bristol Rovers. Under the new manager Gerry Francis, he played very well, missing only five games in four seasons. When Francis became manager of QPR in 1991, he brought Holloway with him. Ian played over 150 games for QPR. In August 1996, he returned to Bristol Rovers for the third time, this time as a player-manager.
Managerial Journey
Leading Bristol Rovers
When Ian Holloway took over Bristol Rovers, the club was facing challenges. In his first season as manager, he guided them to 17th place in Division Two. The next season, Bristol Rovers finished fifth and made it to the playoffs. They won the first game against Northampton Town but lost the second, missing out on promotion.
In the 1998–99 season, the team finished 13th. After this season, Holloway stopped playing football to focus completely on managing. He had played over 400 matches for Bristol Rovers. In his last full season there (1999–2000), Rovers finished 7th, just missing the playoffs.
Managing Queens Park Rangers
In February 2001, Ian Holloway became the manager of QPR. His goal was to keep the team in Division One, but they were relegated to the third level. Despite this, Holloway stayed and rebuilt the team. After a steady season in 2001–02, QPR was promoted back to the second level in 2004, finishing second.
In his first full season in The Championship, QPR finished 11th. Holloway was suspended by QPR in February 2006 due to rumors linking him to the manager job at Leicester City.
Time at Plymouth Argyle
On 28 June 2006, Holloway became the manager of Plymouth Argyle. He promised to help the club reach the Premier League. After his first away win as manager, he famously offered to buy a drink for every one of the 700 fans who traveled a long distance to support the team.
In November 2007, Holloway resigned from Plymouth Argyle to become the manager of Leicester City.
Leicester City Challenge
Ian Holloway made history by being the first Leicester manager in over 50 years to win his first league game, beating Bristol City 2–0.
However, Leicester City was relegated from the Championship in May 2008, moving to the third tier of English football for the first time in their long history. On 23 May 2008, Holloway left Leicester City by agreement. He said he was very sad about the relegation and wished the club well.
Blackpool's Premier League Dream
On 21 May 2009, Ian Holloway was announced as the new manager of Blackpool. He signed a one-year contract. His first league game was a 1–1 draw against his old club, Queens Park Rangers.
Nine months later, he led Blackpool to the Premier League by winning the play-offs. This was a huge achievement, as Blackpool had not been in the top league for 40 years. Holloway called it one of the best moments of his life. He later signed a new two-year contract with the club.
In May 2011, Blackpool was relegated from the Premier League after one season. Holloway continued to manage Blackpool, leading them to the Championship play-offs again in May 2012, but they lost the final to West Ham.
Crystal Palace Promotion
On 3 November 2012, Holloway agreed to become the manager of Crystal Palace. His first game in charge was a big 5–0 win against Ipswich Town. On 27 May 2013, Holloway guided Crystal Palace to promotion to the 2013–14 Premier League after winning the play-off final.
Crystal Palace had a tough start in the Premier League season. On 23 October 2013, Holloway left the club by agreement after less than a year in charge.
Millwall Manager
On 7 January 2014, Ian Holloway signed a contract with Millwall. He helped the club stay in the Championship for the 2013–14 season. In the 2014–15 season, Millwall struggled, and Holloway was dismissed on 10 March 2015. This was the first time he had been sacked as a manager.
Return to Queens Park Rangers
On 11 November 2016, Holloway returned to Queens Park Rangers as manager. He helped the team avoid relegation in his first season. He left QPR on 10 May 2018, after finishing 16th in the league.
Grimsby Town Role
On 29 December 2019, Holloway joined Grimsby Town as manager. He also planned to buy shares in the club and become a director. The team won their first two games under him. Holloway made many changes to the team during his time there.
On 23 December 2020, Holloway resigned as manager of Grimsby Town. He had been in charge for just under a year. He stated his reasons for leaving were related to changes in the club's ownership.
Recent Management at Swindon Town
After nearly three years away from management, Holloway was appointed as manager of EFL League Two club Swindon Town on 25 October 2024. The club was in 22nd place when he took over.
Holloway has continued to make headlines with his comments. After a defeat in December 2024, he had a strong reaction to a fan. On 21 December, he managed his 1000th game, beating his former club Grimsby Town.
Personal Life and Advocacy
Ian Holloway met his wife, Kim, when they were both 15 years old. They got married, and Ian supported Kim through a health challenge. They have four children: William, twins Eve and Chloe, and Harriet.
His twin daughters, Eve and Chloe, were born profoundly deaf. Later, their youngest daughter, Harriet, was also born deaf. Ian and Kim have worked hard to ensure their daughters receive a good education. Ian has learned sign language to communicate with his children. He is also a well-known supporter and campaigner for deaf issues and concerns.
For several years, while managing QPR, Holloway traveled daily from Bristol to London so his children could attend a special deaf school in Bristol. This long commute caused him health issues. Later, the family moved closer to London for the same reason.
During a break from football management, Holloway became interested in self-sufficiency. He started raising chickens and learned carpentry. When he moved to Blackpool, his family brought their chickens, horses, and ducks with them!
In October 2020, a fan group for Grimsby Town started a fundraiser to support Holloway. They raised over £6,000, which Holloway donated to two charities chosen by his friend's family.
Media and Public Persona
Ian Holloway is famous for his entertaining comments in post-match interviews. He often uses creative metaphors and funny phrases, making him a popular figure in English football.
In 2005, a book of his quotes called "Let's Have Coffee: The Tao of Ian Holloway" was published. His autobiography, Ollie: The Autobiography of Ian Holloway, was released in 2007.
Holloway is an Honorary Patron of Show Racism the Red Card, an organization that fights racism. He has attended events to share his views and experiences on racism with young people.
He has also written weekly columns for newspapers like The Independent on Sunday and the Sunday Mirror. During breaks from managing, Holloway often appears as a television pundit on shows like EFL on Quest. He also has his own podcast called "The Ian Holloway Podcast."
Managerial Statistics
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Bristol Rovers | 13 May 1996 | 29 January 2001 | 247 | 90 | 70 | 87 | 36.44 | |
| Queens Park Rangers | 26 February 2001 | 6 February 2006 | 252 | 100 | 71 | 81 | 39.68 | |
| Plymouth Argyle | 28 June 2006 | 21 November 2007 | 71 | 28 | 23 | 20 | 39.44 | |
| Leicester City | 22 November 2007 | 23 May 2008 | 32 | 9 | 8 | 15 | 28.13 | |
| Blackpool | 21 May 2009 | 3 November 2012 | 161 | 62 | 43 | 56 | 38.51 | |
| Crystal Palace | 4 November 2012 | 23 October 2013 | 46 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 30.43 | |
| Millwall | 7 January 2014 | 10 March 2015 | 62 | 14 | 19 | 29 | 22.58 | |
| Queens Park Rangers | 11 November 2016 | 10 May 2018 | 80 | 26 | 14 | 40 | 32.50 | |
| Grimsby Town | 31 December 2019 | 23 December 2020 | 38 | 11 | 9 | 18 | 28.95 | |
| Swindon Town | 25 October 2024 | Present | 19 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 42.11 | |
| Total | 1,008 | 362 | 276 | 370 | 35.91 | |||
Honours and Awards
As a Player
Bristol Rovers
- Football League Third Division: 1989–90 (Promoted)
Wimbledon
- Football League Second Division promotion: 1985–86
As a Manager
Queen's Park Rangers
- Football League Second Division promotion: 2003–04
Blackpool
- Football League Championship play-off winner: 2009–10 (Promoted to Premier League)
Crystal Palace
- Football League Championship play-off winner: 2012–13 (Promoted to Premier League)
Individual Awards
- Football League Championship Manager of the Month: September 2004, August 2012
- Football League Second Division Manager of the Month: February 2003, November 2003
Images for kids
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Holloway in 2015
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Holloway in 2007
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Holloway as Blackpool manager in 2010
