I'm gutted for Grant Holt that he’s now starting a long spell on the sidelines.
Grant did a fantastic job for us and it’s cruel that he’s gone back to Wigan Athletic to prove himself to a new manager and been denied that chance by injury.
I didn’t go to the Rotherham match on Boxing Day, but people I’ve spoken to said the knee injury which forced him off seemed innocuous, like something and nothing, and they wouldn’t have been surprised to see him turn out against Bolton two days later.
But, of course, since his return to Wigan, scans have revealed cruciate ligament damage which will keep him out for nine months.
That’s a real sickener for Grant, who provided a real boost for us when he came into the squad at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Everybody knew we needed somebody to play up front alongside Nahki Wells, or to be a frontline leader in a three, and Grant did the job really well, bringing people into the game and holding up the ball.
Not only that, his presence allowed James Vaughan to have that bit of extra time to get himself back to 100% fitness after a long lay-off of his own.
Maybe in the past, Vaughany has felt he’s needed to push himself to get back, but this time he’s been able to get a couple of games under his belt before returning to the senior squad and, hopefully, that will pay off for us in the rest of the season – because a fully-fit James Vaughan is a big bonus for our team.
