About Mel Holden
Lived 1954 – 1981 (aged 26). Mel Holden was a British association football player and association football coach.
Melville George Holden (25 August 1954 – 31 January 1981) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a forward. Active in both England and the Netherlands, Holden made nearly 150 career League appearances, scoring nearly 50 goals.
Career Born in Dundee, Holden played for the youth team of Preston North End, and made his senior debut in 1972. He later played for Sunderland and Blackpool, before moving to the Netherlands to play with PEC Zwolle.
Later life and death Holden died of motor neurone disease in early 1981, aged 26; the illness had forced his retirement from playing some two years previously. After his death, Preston player Peter Litchfield donated £1,000 he had received for winning a Man of the Match award to a motor neurone charity.
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Important facts
People in Mel Holden's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Mel Holden's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Mel Holden?
Scottish footballer (1954-1981)
When was Mel Holden born?
Mel Holden was born on 25 August 1954 in Dundee.
When did Mel Holden die?
Mel Holden died on 31 January 1981 in Preston.
What was Mel Holden's occupation?
Mel Holden was an association football player and association football coach.
What nationality was Mel Holden?
Mel Holden was British.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mel Holden. https://biography.guide/mel-holden/
MLA: "Mel Holden." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mel-holden/.
Chicago: "Mel Holden." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mel-holden/.
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