VIDEO: SPIREITES' GOLDEN GOALS - Paul Holland wins Chesterfield's promotion battle against Blackpool
Each week we are taking a look at some of the best to hit the net for Chesterfield over the past decades. If you have a goal you would like us to feature, email [email protected] with brief details and your memories of the strike and we will try to include in a future article.
This week’s memory-jerker takes us back to the 1995-96 season and was not only a spectacular goal, but a skilful one too.
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Hide AdIt has been suggested on Twitter by Mark Hill (@Hilly3012) and smiler cfc (@garyuk2004).
Midfielder Paul Holland was one of a rare breed, a player loved by both fans at Chesterfield and fierce local rivals Mansfield Town.
He came to the Spireites having made his name at the Stags and then been at Sheffield United.
The England under-21 international did not score many goals — 11 in 114 matches in the blue of Chesterfield — but they were often goals to remember, just like his strike on 2nd April in 1996.
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Hide AdIt came as the race for promotion from League Two hotted up. The Spireites were faltering, having won just one of their previous six matches following a purple patch of five victories from six outings.
So the visit of leaders Blackpool was a big match — and Holland scored a big goal to clinch a vital 1-0 win that kept alive the Spireites’ promotion hopes and was to start the Seasiders descent from the summit.
The midfielder received the ball on the edge of the area with his back to goal. He flicked it up with his right foot, turned and hooked the ball on again with his right before volleying into the roof of net from 16 yards with his left.
It was a stunning strike worthy of winning any match and sent Chesterfield’s biggest crowd of the season, more than 7,000, into raptures.
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Hide AdWATCH: Paul Holland stunner beats BlackpoolSadly for the Spireites, the goal did not kick-start their promotion bid. They failed to win any of their next seven matches as a packed April of nine matches took its toll.
Chesterfield won their final two games, but missed out on promotion by one place and one point. Blackpool also missed out in the lottery of the play-offs.
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