Holt Not For Sale

Grant Holt looks set to stay at Nottingham Forest – after winning round manager Colin Calderwood.


The Reds appear to have made a U-turn on their £300,000 leading scorer, who they were prepared to sell to Bristol City in November.

Calderwood confirmed that he has knocked back approaches for the former Rochdale hit-man, with Bristol and Carlisle among those believed to be interested.

He said: ‘At the moment we wouldn’t entertain anyone.

‘We’ve had phone calls about Grant, as we’ve had with three or four other players and we’ve said no.’

Forest’s latest stance on Holt represents a remarkable about-turn in the space of two months.

Back in November it was down to the 25-year-old to reject a move to Ashton Gate after Forest accepted a £300,000 bid from Bristol.

It provoked an angry response from supporters, with Holt something of a cult favourite, as well as the club’s leading scorer with 11 goals this season.

Still there remained doubts about his future, with Forest keeping tabs on Rotherham striker Will Hoskins.

Bristol boss Gary Johnson also suggested he would make a renewed bid this month – while Holt admitted last month that he was still unsure where his future lay.

Reports in the North-West have suggested he would welcome a move back to his birthplace with Carlisle.

But with Forest understood to have turned down approaches from Brunton Park and Bristol, it looks like Holt will remain at the City Ground until the end of the season at least.

And despite accepting a bid for the player in November, Calderwood insists he never wanted to let Holt go.






Nottingham Evening Post