A tall central defender, John Holsgrove began his career at the youth sides of Tottenham Hotspur before going on to have a long career mostly in the top flight.
He left the Spurs youth system to join Crystal Palace as a junior and signed professional for the Eagles in 1964. Was only in their first eleven for a season before Wolverhampton Wanderers snapped him up and he had six good years at Molineux before moving on to Sheffield Wednesday. After four years at Hillsborough, John wound down his career at Stockport County and then in non-league with Stalybridge Celtic.
Had three footballing sons, Paul (Reading and many others), Peter (Hayes) and Lee (Wycombe Wanderers). All three played for Hayes at the same time in