Dean Holdsworth

International career Holdsworth earned an England B cap in the 4–2 win against Northern Ireland B on 10 May 1994 at Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield, scoring the opening goal for England's B team.

Managerial career

Redbridge Holdsworth was appointed as player-manager of Isthmian League Division One North club Redbridge in July 2007. The club finished third in 2007–08 before losing to Canvey Island in the play-off final, following a penalty shoot-out.

Newport County

He made a return to Newport County in May 2008 as their new manager in succession to Peter Beadle, after handing in his resignation at Redbridge. His signings included Craig Reid, Danny Rose, Paul Bignot, Jamie Collins, Charlie Henry, Sam Foley and Gary Warren.

In September 2009 Holdsworth was again named the Conference South Manager of the Month after Newport County started the 2009–10 season with a run of 13 league matches unbeaten. He also won the awards for November 2009 and February 2010. On 15 March 2010, Newport County achieved promotion to the Conference National as champions with seven matches remaining and completed the season with a record 103 points, 28 points ahead of second placed Dover Athletic.

In June 2010, Holdsworth signed a new two-year contract with Newport, and was also awarded the Conference South Manager of the Year Award. Holdsworth was selected as Conference National Manager of the Month for September 2010 after a run of five consecutive wins for Newport County. He left the club in January of the 2010–11 campaign, with Newport County lying in the play-off zone of the Conference National. The "Exiles" finished the season in ninth place under Anthony Hudson's stewardship.

Aldershot Town In January 2011 he was announced as the new manager of League Two side Aldershot Town. Holdsworth wasted no time making his mark on the team, bringing in forwards Peter Vincenti, Tim Sills, and Alex Rodman – as well as defender Simon Grand on loan from Fleetwood – before the end of the month. There were also players leaving the club during this period of transition, with both Glen Little being released, whilst Anthony Straker and Damian Spencer were sent out on loan. Holdsworth's first game in charge resulted in a creditable 1–1 draw away to high-flying Bury, and he also improved on Aldershot's poor home form; winning his first game at "The Rec" 1–0 against Bradford City, whilst a last-minute Luke Guttridge free-kick gave the "Shots" a second consecutive home win 3–2 against Crewe. He continued attempting to strengthen the squad throughout February, with loan signings Albert Jarrett and Luke Medley from Lincoln and Mansfield, respectively, though neither had a large impact on the team with only a handful of appearances between them. Holdsworth also signed former "Shots" goalkeeper Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz, who made 62 appearances in a previous spell at the club. On the pitch, Aldershot went on a run of five consecutive draws, the first away to league leaders Chesterfield who required a late equaliser to rescue a point.

His team went unbeaten throughout March to ensure the club's survival in the Football League. The upturn in form prompted speculation that the team could mount a charge for the play-offs. Though the club could only draw in their final game of the month at home to Accrington Stanley, Aldershot were left only seven points behind seventh-placed Rotherham United. March also saw defender Jamie Vincent released from the club after not featuring in Holdsworth's first-team plans, as well as a first-team opportunity for youth team winger Adam Mekki. The "Shots" continued their unbeaten run into the first half of April before defeat finally came at home to Burton Albion. At the end of the campaign Aldershot posted a comfortable mid-table finish, and Holdsworth handed out contracts to young players Adam Mekki, Doug Bergqvist and Henrik Breimyr. He also released nine players in Ben Harding, John Halls, Marvin Morgan, Damian Spencer, Tim Sills, Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz, Wade Small, Clayton Fortune, and Jack Randall.

He assembled a number of free signings to replenish his squad: strikers Bradley Bubb and Michael Rankine; midfielders Anthony Pulis and Graeme Montgomery; defenders Aaron Brown and Jamie Collins; and goalkeeper Ross Worner. He also brought in a total of eight loanees in the first half of the season: Jake Taylor, Jordan Brown, Bruno Andrade, Adam Smith, Scott Davies, Jamie Day, Greg Pearson and Charlie Henry. His team proved to be inconsistent, though they did reach the fourth round of the League Cup, where they were beaten 3–0 by a Manchester United side that included Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Owen, and Antonio Valencia. In the January transfer window he released Graeme Montgomery and Anthony Pulis, whilst making four new loan signings in defenders Troy Brown and Sonny Bradley, midfielder Josh Payne, and striker Charlie Collins. He also recruited defender Chris Doig, and attempted to bolster his side's poor goalscoring record by paying a five figure fee for Cameroonian striker Guy Madjo. He also signed Stefan Payne, Wilko Risser and Josh Payne, as well as loanees Ben Smith, Darren Murphy, Michael Doughty, and Rob Sinclair. To make room for these signings he offloaded Jermaine McGlashan, Jamie Collins, Luke Guttridge, Chris Doig and Aaron Brown. The "Shots" finished the season just outside the play-offs.

Holdsworth signed a new one-year extension to his contract with the club in June 2012, tying him to the club until summer 2014. The next month he rejected the opportunity to take over as manager of League One club Crawley Town. Over the summer he signed goalkeeper Glenn Morris, defenders Olly Lancashire and Guy Branston, and midfielders Craig Stanley and Harry Cooksley. Holdsworth targeted the play-offs for the 2012–13 season, though said that "our aim is, first and foremost, staying in the division." Over the course of the season he also added Sonny Bradley (on loan), Danny Rose (on loan), Kieron Cadogan, Oliver Risser, Asa Hall (on loan), and Anthony McNamee to his squad. He led Aldershot to the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time in the club's history. On 20 February 2013 he was sacked by Aldershot, three days after his twin brother David Holdsworth was sacked as manager of Lincoln City, and one day after Aldershot recorded a 1–0 victory over Torquay United. At the time of his sacking Aldershot were in 20th position in League Two having taken only seven points from the last seven games. However, after eight defeats in 13 league games his contract with Chelmsford was ended by mutual consent in November 2013.

Brentwood Town He was appointed director of football at Isthmian League Premier club Brentwood Town in June 2015 and also took up the vacant management role at the club. He resigned in November 2015 due to his growing business commitments. His primary focus was as a business consultant for Sport Shield Consultancy, a consortium seeking to buy into Bolton Wanderers.

Stratford Town On 19 May 2022, Holdsworth was appointed manager of Stratford Town of the Southern League Premier Central, where the chairman noted that he had "a lot of managerial experience on budget constraints". He left the role in September, stating that his growing business commitments made him unable to focus on his role as manager.

Football administration Holdsworth is a former chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association and founder of the Non-League Footballers Association (NLFA).

Bolton Wanderers In March 2016, Holdsworth led a consortium to purchase Bolton Wanderers, who were lying at the bottom of the Championship table and heading for administration, and upon completion of the takeover appointed himself as chief executive. However, he moved to the position of Director of football before the start of the 2016–17 season, but left the role less than a month later. He had a public falling out with chairman Ken Anderson over the sale of Zach Clough in January 2017 and sold out his share of the club to Anderson two months later. He resigned his directorship of the club in August 2017.

Kidderminster Harriers In December 2023, he was appointed as technical director at National League club Kidderminster Harriers, with the club saying it was "a significant milestone in the club's journey following promotion".

Outside football Holdsworth was involved in tabloid scandal in 1996 when he had a highly publicised extramarital affair with topless model Linsey Dawn McKenzie, who was then aged 17. In December 1999 he was sentenced to 18 months probation for punching his wife Samantha Holdsworth.

Holdsworth appeared in the reality television series Deadline where ten celebrities had to produce their own weekly celebrity magazine. He was the sixth celebrity to be sacked by Janet Street-Porter. He also participated in the second series of Sky One reality TV series Cirque de Celebrité. The judges voted him out in the first episode on 7 October 2007. Tamara (another contestant) joined him in the bottom two, but the three judges voted to stay in the competition. However, because of a technical fault with the voting, Dean was asked to re-join the show.

Holdsworth married Susanna Cobham in June 2010. David Holdsworth, who was also a professional footballer is Dean's twin brother. On 18 September 2010, they became the first twins to manage against each other in the top five divisions of English football, when Dean was manager of Newport County and David manager of Mansfield Town – Newport won the match 1–0.

Career statistics Playing statistics

Managerial statistics + Managerial record by team and tenureTeamFromToRecordAldershot Town11 January 201120 February 2013

Honours Player Brentford Football League Third Division: 1991–92

Bolton Wanderers Football League First Division play-offs: 2001

Rushden & Diamonds Football League Third Division: 2002–03

Newport County FAW Premier Cup runner-up: 2006–07 Brentford Hall of Fame (inducted 2013)

Manager Newport County Conference Premier Manager of the Month: September 2010 Football League Two Manager of the Month: March 2011