Preston North End FA Cup Final scorer Doug Holden has passed away

Outside-left Holden gave the Lilywhites a 10th minute lead against West Ham United at Wembley but the Hammers won 3-2 with Ronnie Boyce settling it in the 90th minute.

That was the third time he had played in the cup final, having been in the Bolton Wanderers side which reached Wembley in 1953 and 1958.

Bolton were beaten 4-3 by Blackpool in 1953 - a game often referred to as the Stanley Matthews Final.

Holden was the last surviving player from that thrilling game.

Five years later, he was in the Bolton side which beat Manchester United 2-0 to lift the FA Cup.

North End signed Holden - capped five times by England in his Bolton days - in November 1962, with him making 23 league appearances in the 1962/63 season, scoring five goals.

In the 1963/64 campaign which saw PNE finish third in the Second Division - just missing out on promotion - as well as reaching Wembley, Holden played 39 times in the league and in all eight FA Cup ties.

His goal at Wembley was one of seven he scored that season.

The following season, he played 28 games in the league before leaving North End to emigrate to Australia.

Holden played and coached in Australia, returning to England in 1970. He worked as Grimsby Town's trainer and was later manager of Dartford Town.

A message posted on the England football team's official account read: "We’re deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Doug Holden at the age of 90.

"Doug was the 776th player to represent the #ThreeLions, winning five caps in 1959.

"All of our thoughts are with his family, friends and former clubs."

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