Mick Hollis

[LUX]

Deserves its own thread imo……

Just been reading the Stockport forum and saw that Mick Hollis will be guest of honour for them.

He was a popular player for them, but joined us at the end of 75-76 to successfully bolster a floundering promotion bid. ( all facts from my memory).

My favourite ever season.

[LUX]

I saw us beat Stockport 5-0 that season from the Norfolk road seats. I had won a radio 210 competition off of from Mike Read.. November 1975 iirc.

[LUX]

As another oldie has just prompted me, we also signed Dennis Nelson the same day from Crewe, who I think had an even bigger impact.

[LUX]

I was 15 by the end of that season.

[blythspartan]

I think I remember us beating Brentford 1-0 at Elm Park right near the end of the season. Did we sign Gary Peters at the start of that season? I was 12 back then and loving going to games with my mates.

[Sutekh]

I saw us beat Stockport 5-0 that season from the Norfolk road seats. I had won a radio 210 competition off of from Mike Read.. November 1975 iirc.

6 December 1975.

Mick Hollis joined Reading from Stockport in 1976, he left after 1 season. Reading were his last professional club before finishing at Shepshed Charterhouse.

Dennis Nelson also joined in 1976 from Crewe, he stayed around for a couple of seasons before going back to Crewe.

Both players are currently 74.

Gary Peters is now 70, he joined from Guildford City in 1975 and left for Fulham after failing to agree terms in 1979, he returned to Reading for another 3 year stint in 1985.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Anyone old enough to know who Mick Hollis is shouldn't be allowed to post.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

As another oldie has just prompted me, we also signed Dennis Nelson the same day from Crewe, who I think had an even bigger impact.

My first away game was seeing Nelson score for us in a 1-0 win at Bournemouth in that promotion season; vital win in the last few games.

[RoyalBlue]

I saw us beat Stockport 5-0 that season from the Norfolk road seats. I had won a radio 210 competition off of from Mike Read.. November 1975 iirc.

Read & Wright - that was a great morning show combination with a name to match. Both obviously went on to much bigger and better things after Radio 210.

[RoyalBlue]

Deserves its own thread imo……

Just been reading the Stockport forum and saw that Mick Hollis will be guest of honour for them.

He was a popular player for them, but joined us at the end of 75-76 to successfully bolster a floundering promotion bid. ( all facts from my memory).

My favourite ever season.

A great little player. Partnered with Ray Hiron and, more successfully, Dennis Nelson, IIRC. Ollie Kearns was our other striker at the time. And yes, we had our boo boys back then too. 'Ollie Kearns, Ollie Kearns, Olly Olly Kearns - when he gets the ball he does oxf*rd all, Olly Olly Kearns' used to ring out from the terraces!

[MartinRdg]

Anyone old enough to know who Mick Hollis is shouldn't be allowed to post.

Who is Mick Hollis?

[Pepe the Horseman]

Anyone old enough to know who Mick Hollis is shouldn't be allowed to post.

Who is Mick Hollis?

[LUX]

Deserves its own thread imo……

Just been reading the Stockport forum and saw that Mick Hollis will be guest of honour for them.

He was a popular player for them, but joined us at the end of 75-76 to successfully bolster a floundering promotion bid. ( all facts from my memory).

My favourite ever season.

A great little player. Partnered with Ray Hiron and, more successfully, Dennis Nelson, IIRC. Ollie Kearns was our other striker at the time. And yes, we had our boo boys back then too. 'Ollie Kearns, Ollie Kearns, Olly Olly Kearns - when he gets the ball he does oxf*rd all, Olly Olly Kearns' used to ring out from the terraces!

Hang on, Robin Friday was very much our main striker that season. I’d say Ollie Kearns was about three seasons later, 1978-1979.

[Stanmore Royal]

Anyone old enough to know who Mick Hollis is shouldn't be allowed to post.

Sadly you’re not far wrong as only when reading this stuff does it jog the grey matter!

Do remember Mike Hollis and definitely Dennis Nelson as his son came into my class at Battle school, lovely family, lived below our best ever keeper Steve Death. Both were decent players for us, I was about 8/9 at time.

Used to climb over the food place in Town end and play on pitch some afternoons until chased off by Gordon Neate….and yes even not on match days the South Bank special aroma was there!

Childhood memories, which is why clubs like ours can’t be allowed to die at the hands of leeches like Dai

Be good to see him tomorrow, thanks to creative diary meetings I am in the area so be rude not too, hotel 10 mins walk…….Last minute winner to top it off please

[AthleticoSpizz]

Great post Stanmore.

….and yes, I was right there with you Luxy in those days of excitement and anticipation of the MH and DN signings (although occasionally in the SB, more often than not in the Tilehurst End by the wall near the goal….by then, I was already taller than Deathy)….used to get a lot of free tickets from the ‘free game for local schools’ initiative.

Muddy pitch, Bovril and smelly Readingers in raincoats…great days

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Anyone old enough to know who Mick Hollis is shouldn't be allowed to post.

Who is Mick Hollis?

Rather have Reg Hollis

[Who Moved The Goalposts?]

As another oldie has just prompted me, we also signed Dennis Nelson the same day from Crewe, who I think had an even bigger impact.

I know Mick and his wife Lyn as he lives in the same Leicestershire village where my wife was brought up - Lyn was best friends with my mother-in-law for decades. He often recounts the story that on his way down to sign for Reading, Dennis Nelson got on the same train and sat next to him without initially knowing who the other was! And no first class travel either!

He has very fond memories of his time at Reading and when he retired from football, he got into the print game. Really nice guy and always happy to talk about his time here.

[RoyalBlue]

Deserves its own thread imo……

Just been reading the Stockport forum and saw that Mick Hollis will be guest of honour for them.

He was a popular player for them, but joined us at the end of 75-76 to successfully bolster a floundering promotion bid. ( all facts from my memory).

My favourite ever season.

A great little player. Partnered with Ray Hiron and, more successfully, Dennis Nelson, IIRC. Ollie Kearns was our other striker at the time. And yes, we had our boo boys back then too. 'Ollie Kearns, Ollie Kearns, Olly Olly Kearns - when he gets the ball he does oxf*rd all, Olly Olly Kearns' used to ring out from the terraces!

Hang on, Robin Friday was very much our main striker that season. I’d say Ollie Kearns was about three seasons later, 1978-1979.

I missed God in the squad list that I found!

Ollie Kearns was in the squad but you may well be right that he didn't feature regularly until a season or so later. If he was replacing the likes of God, Nelson and Hollis, no wonder the poor sod got stick!

[Fox Talbot]

This is getting very rose-tinted / sugar-coated. Mick Hollis was a poor forward. He wasn't big, fast or skillful. 25 apps, 6 goals (2 pens) in a season and a half, mostly playing in a team that got relegated. Replaced by the much better Pat Earles.

Lesson - don't buy from Crewe. Lesson not heeded - we next bought Hugh Cheetham from them - 12 apps, no goals.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

This is getting very rose-tinted / sugar-coated. Mick Hollis was a poor forward. He wasn't big, fast or skillful. 25 apps, 6 goals (2 pens) in a season and a half, mostly playing in a team that got relegated. Replaced by the much better Pat Earles.

Lesson - don't buy from Crewe. Lesson not heeded - we next bought Hugh Cheetham from them - 12 apps, no goals.

And a club record fee at the time - which had been Steve Death £20k from West Ham for a decade