Tributes continue to pour in following the tragic death of Gabriel Holt, the Wigan ruby talent who passed away suddenly this week, aged just 21.
Born and raised in the town of Atherton, Gabriel Holt played for Wigan St Patricks RUFC and previously represented the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), being described as an “exceptional talent” and having “brightened up the room”.
The Greater Manchester local qualified for the Wales Students team through family heritage and won three caps for the squad in 2023, as well as being named in this year’s squad for the upcoming Four Nations tournament. The budding Wigan rugby star’s cause of death is yet to be confirmed.
People from all over the rugby league community have been paying their respects to the promising youngster, with the likes of his father and St Patricks leading the emotional tributes:
RIP Gabriel Holt
We're shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden death of current Wales Students international player, Gabriel Holt, aged just 21.
People from all over British rugby are honouring Gabriel Holt.
‘Gabe’s’ father Chris Holt wrote in a heartbreaking social media post following the outpouring of condolences online: “These comments. They bring a tear to my eye. Gabe was a bit of a journeyman, starting at Atherton Dragons when he was five years old…
“After Dragons folded he did a stint at Leigh East & Folly Lane before finally finding his forever home at Pat’s. He was ever so proud to play for a club with such a reputation and team spirit – ‘kick one of us, kick all of us!’ – and every Monday was simply the start of the countdown to game day, thankfully then in warmer (ish!) conditions for us mardy parents.
“Even after leaving for UCLAN where he loved playing, the academic season allowed him to return to Pat’s and play when he could, in his last match scoring a try to level the scores against the difficult Leigh Miners before Pat’s prevailed by two points. He was champing at the bit to return once he got over his knee injury, especially after being chosen to represent Wales for the second year of asking…
“Sadly it wasn’t to be. We are forever indebted to Wigan St Patricks who showed him what ‘team’ meant. Everyone has their role. Everyone has each other’s back. Everyone is included. No questions asked. The best game in the world. And he loved every second of it, dislocated limbs included.”
Multiple players and trainers from his past and present have waxed lyrical about his presence both on and off the pitch even at such a young age, with his head coach at Wales Students, Craig Fisher, writing: “No words will ever be able to articulate what an exceptional human being you were.
“You were a leader, a team-mate, a champion but most of all a friend to everyone you met. I feel privileged to have known you and to have coached you. I know how proud you were to wear the red of Wales and were itching to tear into the 2024 Four Nations.
“As heart-wrenching as it will be that you won’t be with us in person to go to war with us, we will take comfort in knowing that our Angel Gabriel will be with us every step of the way. Godspeed, young man. Forever your coach.”
A fundraiser has now been set up by a family friend of the Holts, Dan Harris, which has already managed to raise over nearly £6,000 in donations to put towards Gabriel’s funeral costs, with Harris urging people to “dig deep” and “find that bit of spare cash, put in what you can afford and help to make this difficult time that little bit easier” for his loved ones.
As written in the description of the GoFundMe page, the Holts have described the rallying from the rugby community and those kind enough to contribute as “amazing”, insisting they have been “blown away by the love and respect shown for Gabriel.”
Harris himself said: “I’ve known the Holt family for over 11 years, me, Chris and [Gabe’s mum] Michelle became fast friends and I’ve seen the kids grow up and mature. [I] watched Gabriel go from an awkward little boy to a fit, healthy and strong man pursuing his dreams of playing rugby for top teams…
“To hear of his passing in such a sudden way is heart-wrenching. Words can’t describe the heartache we all feel, the pain and suffering that the family are going through.” He also went on to cite dad Chris’ always offering his help to the local community down the years, “be that fixing a washing machine, picking up your broken down car to fix or running you somewhere for an errand”, often without payment.
He signed off by saying, “Well now’s our time so that the family doesn’t struggle.” You can donate to Gabriel Holt’s fundraiser HERE.
Featured Images — GoFundMe/Wigan St. Patricks ARLFC (via Facebook)
Sport
British rock and mod icon Paul Weller stars in advert for new Oasis x Bohemians football kit
Danny Jones
The music and football shirt crossovers just keep coming thick and fast – and that’s just Oasis alone, as Bohemians FC have released a new collaboration with the legendary Britpop band, looping in none other than Paul Weller for the grand unveiling.
Bohemians share a strong connection with the Gallagher brothers due to their Irish roots, as do Manchester and the ‘Emerald Isle’ in general.
However, it doesn’t get much bigger than Oasis and with the Live ’25 reunion shows now just days away (we can hardly believe it either), Bohemians have decided to hop on the bandwagon too and steal some of that ‘band with the three stripes’ buzz for themselves.
Not to be too keen, but can we have 10 of them, please?…
Is this another instant hit? We’d say so, yeah.
Shot by Jamie Goldrick to the sound of cult favourite Definitely Maybe track, ‘Married with Children’, the Oasis x Bohemians kit reveal video was filmed at Cross Guns Snooker Hall: the oldest snooker club in Dublin City, which still remains an important community cornerstone.
As well as starring UK rock and mod culture icon, Paul Weller, perhaps the best bit about the FAI Cup shirt and this whole partnership is the charitable element behind it.
Just like with their Fontaines shirt, which helped supply medical aid across Palestine, the limited edition jersey will help generate crucial money for two key causes.
The first of which is the domestic non-profit organisation, Music Generation Ireland, the country’s national music education programme, which helps children and young people access vocal and instrumental tuition locally.
Secondly, funds will also be diverted to the Irish Community Care Manchester, located along Stockport Road in Levenshulme – further strengthening the mutual support between us Mancs and our cousins across the water.
You can get a close look at the Oasis x Bohemians kit design down below.
A closer look at our 2025 FAI Cup Shirt, a very special partnership with Oasis.
— Bohemian Football Club (@bfcdublin) July 1, 2025
The special edition and highly exclusive shirt is already available, with stock already disappearing rapidly thanks to Bohs die-hards, Oasis fans and footy kit connosieurs alike.
With the Burnage boys getting their seismic comeback shows underway with two nights at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff this Friday and Saturday (4-5 July), before heading for a double bill at Croke Park in Dublin this August, the excitement across the globe is already palpable.
Every single teaser trailer and social media post sends fans bananas, and god knows what the scenes are going to be like when they finally head to Heaton Park for the run of five homecoming nights.
Featured Images — Bohemians FC (press images/screenshots via YouTube)
Sport
Pep Guardiola aims not-so-subtle dig at ‘destructive’ FIFA Club World Cup
Danny Jones
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is the latest to voice his concerns surrounding the ongoing 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, delivering a not-so-subtle dig at the competition.
Ahead of Man City‘s round of 16 match against Al Hilal in this year’s Club World Cup, of which they won all their group stage games, the Catalan head coach has once again come out to criticise the increasingly congested fixture calendar.
His comments come after former Liverpool manager and now Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull, Jürgen Klopp, labelled the current off-season summer run of matches “the worst idea ever.”
Somewhat echoing his statement – or at the very least aligning with it (albeit indirectly) – Pep Guardiola gave his two cents also, claiming that the now extended, 32-team tournament could “destroy” his squad and their fortunes in the next campaign.
Clearly, Pep is far from the biggest of fan of the recently refreshed format, even despite having won the thing on four occasions in the past – the most recent being with Manchester City back in 2023.
Reflecting on what impact he fears the Club World Cup may have on his team next season, Guardiola said: “I try not to think about it, otherwise I will be so anxious. We will rest [for as much time as] the Premier League allows us to.
“And game by game, month by month, we will see. And maybe in November, December, January, ask me, Pep. I may say: ‘So listen, we are a disaster. We are exhausted. The World Cup destroyed us.’ I don’t know, but it’s the first time in our [lives] that that’s happened [a 32-team CWC]. So we will see…”
Unpredictable weather in the United States, where the action is being hosted, has also been the subject of outrage in some cases, with Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca stating, “It’s a joke! It’s not football”, after a major storm delay mid-game pushed meant that one of their games took five hours to finish.
The 54-year-old also insisted that those who were against the tweaked concept “fought a lot” here in England, in UEFA meetings and so on, as was the case with the revision of the new layout of the Champions League, but to no avail.
Jurgen Klopp: "NBA player earns a lot of money & has 4 months of rest per year. Van Dijk didn't even have that in his entire career. Tournaments such as the Club World Cup cannot take place at the expense of players" [Die Welt]
Regarding Klopp, who set this latest chain of criticism, he claims that whoever wins the 2025 Club World Cup is ultimately “pointless” and will be “the worst winner of all time because they’ll have played all summer and then gone straight back into the league.”
In his eyes, the decisions are being made by people who have “never been involved” with the pressure of day-to-day life in professional football and the physical toll of multiple competitions, in particular.
As for who might win the 2025 CWC, it could very well be Man City for a second time, as the Blues are the only team remaining that has a 100% win ratio this year, having most recently thrashed Juventus 5-2 in their last game.
Nevertheless, it seems that the stance of Klopp, Guardiola, Maresca and more is pretty plain: this particular tournament will go down in the record books for the wrong reasons, and they won’t be happy until the format is revisited.
Do you agree with Pep and co. on the Club World Cup controversy?
Danny Jones -
10th April 2024 
