ROB Holding has paid heartfelt thanks to Wanderers’ fans for standing by the club during a torrid season.

As the Whites prepare for their final home game against Hull City this lunchtime the defender – voted player of the year yesterday – acknowledged how much support he and fellow academy graduates have received at the Macron.

Holding has been the breakout star of a horrendous campaign and could soon be rewarded with an extended contract as the club looks to build on a younger base.

And the Tameside-born 20-year-old, who only made his debut for the club last August, is keen to reward fans’ loyalty.

“The fans have been brilliant with me, but they’ve been fantastic with every single one of the young lads who has come through the ranks,” he said.

“If they can see that they’re hungry to play and want to play for the shirt, they’re happy – they just want to see effort and I’d like to think I’ve given them just that.”

Holding joined some famous names on collecting the club’s top prize and sees it as the high point of a 12-year journey through the academy system.

“To be on that trophy with so many great names though is an absolute honour – to be sharing it with the likes of Jay Jay Okocha, Kevin Davies and Jussi Jaaskelainen, it’s the stuff dreams are made of,” he said.

“Looking back to when I was eight years old and kicking a ball in a kit that’s two sizes too big because it’d just been given to me right up to the present day where I’m fully immersed in the first team, it’s just crazy.

“The coaches at the club have been a massive help to me and I genuinely cannot thank them enough for all they’ve done for me,” he added. “The likes of David Lee and Tony Kelly in the Under-18s, Nicky Spooner when I was a schoolboy and Jimmy Phillips who is a face I’ve known for many years.

“All the way through my development, too, I’ve had a good group of lads around me – we grew up together and it’s brilliant that we’re all in the mix now after all these years.

“The club means a lot to all of us who’ve come through the ranks – we’ve all got that affinity with Bolton now and even when the time comes that we’re not here anymore, it’ll always be a part of us because Bolton Wanderers helped to make us.”