Football Legend John Hollins Passes Away at 76
Football legend John Hollins passes away at the age of 76 He played for Chelsea, Arsenal, and QPR, making over 700 appearances in his career Hollins also managed Chelsea for three years and earned one cap for England His legacy will forever be remembered in the football community
John Hollins, a former player and manager of Chelsea, has passed away at the age of 76, according to an announcement by the club. He holds the record for the fifth most appearances for the team, having played 592 times between 1963 and 1975, before returning to manage the club for three years in 1985.
According to Daniel Finkelstein, a member of the Chelsea board, the late player was not only a hero to the club's fans but also to himself. Finkelstein acknowledged the player's contribution to one of Chelsea's best teams, both in terms of trophy success and embodying the team's spirit.
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In addition to his record-breaking achievement of most appearances by an outfield player in English top-flight history, Hollins has also played over 100 games for both Arsenal and Queens Park Rangers. To further cement his legacy, he made significant contributions to both clubs during his time on the field.
Hollins, originally from Surrey, was only able to earn one cap for England, which occurred in 1967, a year after the national team had triumphed in the World Cup. Following his departure from Highbury, he made his way back to Stamford Bridge in 1983 to finish out his playing days, where he played an instrumental role in guiding Chelsea back to the First Division after a lengthy five-year absence.
As John Neal's replacement, Hollins took over as boss and embarked on his first season as a manager. During the 1985/86 season, he led his team to a commendable title challenge, with his side sitting at the top of the table in February. However, they eventually fell behind due to a poor finish and ended up finishing in sixth place. Hollins later took on a coaching role at QPR and even served as the caretaker manager in 1997. He then went on to manage in the Football League for Swansea, Rochdale, and Stockport before his final managerial position at Weymouth in 2008.
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The Privacy Options can be accessed by clicking on the Open button. John Hollins, who was honored with an MBE for his contribution to football in 1982, was remembered fondly by his son, Chris Hollins, a well-known journalist and presenter. Chris mentioned that his father was humble about his part in Chelsea's history.
"He joined the club at the age of 15 and became a part of the remarkable teams of the '60s and '70s that won several trophies.
"Despite having numerous anecdotes to share, he simply expressed his fondness for playing at the Bridge and donning the iconic blue jersey."
"We will miss him as a husband, a father and grandfather and will always be proud of what he achieved in the game."
