"I never want anyone else to go through what I went through"
Laura Holden's story is a harrowing tale of neglect, poor support, and ultimately, a devastating experience that changed the course of her life. The 28-year-old midfielder from Swindon Town was once hailed as one of Aberdeen's brightest talents, but after suffering an ACL injury just six matches into her debut season, she found herself struggling to cope with the physical and mental demands of rehabilitation.
Holden claims that despite her efforts to push through and return to training, she was repeatedly denied by coaches and physiotherapy staff, who allegedly failed to provide her with the necessary support or guidance. The lack of attention and care from those around her took a significant toll on her mental health, with Holden describing herself as "depressed" and feeling like a burden to others.
"I thought I was doing the right thing by not tarring the club with the fact that they wouldn't support one of their women's players," she says. However, it soon became apparent that this decision had severe consequences, including being forced to pay for her own surgery, which cost around £8,000.
The situation continued to deteriorate when Holden began returning to training after 543 days out injured. Despite having told the club's new coach, Scott Booth, that she was ready to return, she was repeatedly denied matchday squad selections and eventually left without playing again for Aberdeen.
Holden attributes her departure from the club to a toxic environment where she felt like an outcast and was constantly struggling to get support or guidance. "I didn't really open up to anyone on the team," she says. "I was worried that if it got back to certain people it would impact even further what I was experiencing throughout my rehab."
Now, after leaving Aberdeen in June 2025, Holden has joined Swindon Town and is hoping that her experience can serve as a warning to others. "I don't want what happened to me to happen to anyone else," she says. Her story highlights the need for clubs and coaches to prioritize player welfare and provide adequate support during times of injury or illness.
In an industry where mental health awareness is growing, Holden's account serves as a stark reminder that the consequences of neglecting player well-being can be severe. As one who has been left to pick up the pieces of a broken system, Holden hopes that her story will serve as a catalyst for change and inspire clubs to re-examine their policies on player support.
Laura Holden's story is a harrowing tale of neglect, poor support, and ultimately, a devastating experience that changed the course of her life. The 28-year-old midfielder from Swindon Town was once hailed as one of Aberdeen's brightest talents, but after suffering an ACL injury just six matches into her debut season, she found herself struggling to cope with the physical and mental demands of rehabilitation.
Holden claims that despite her efforts to push through and return to training, she was repeatedly denied by coaches and physiotherapy staff, who allegedly failed to provide her with the necessary support or guidance. The lack of attention and care from those around her took a significant toll on her mental health, with Holden describing herself as "depressed" and feeling like a burden to others.
"I thought I was doing the right thing by not tarring the club with the fact that they wouldn't support one of their women's players," she says. However, it soon became apparent that this decision had severe consequences, including being forced to pay for her own surgery, which cost around £8,000.
The situation continued to deteriorate when Holden began returning to training after 543 days out injured. Despite having told the club's new coach, Scott Booth, that she was ready to return, she was repeatedly denied matchday squad selections and eventually left without playing again for Aberdeen.
Holden attributes her departure from the club to a toxic environment where she felt like an outcast and was constantly struggling to get support or guidance. "I didn't really open up to anyone on the team," she says. "I was worried that if it got back to certain people it would impact even further what I was experiencing throughout my rehab."
Now, after leaving Aberdeen in June 2025, Holden has joined Swindon Town and is hoping that her experience can serve as a warning to others. "I don't want what happened to me to happen to anyone else," she says. Her story highlights the need for clubs and coaches to prioritize player welfare and provide adequate support during times of injury or illness.
In an industry where mental health awareness is growing, Holden's account serves as a stark reminder that the consequences of neglecting player well-being can be severe. As one who has been left to pick up the pieces of a broken system, Holden hopes that her story will serve as a catalyst for change and inspire clubs to re-examine their policies on player support.
the fact that laura holden had to go through all that stress and mental health struggles because of a lack of proper support from her coaches and physiotherapy staff is just heartbreaking. it's like, clubs are supposed to be there for their players, not neglect them when they're hurt or struggling with an injury. £8k surgery cost on top of that? it's just outrageous.
Laura's experience is just awful, it's heartbreaking to think about what she went through. The fact that she was denied support from coaches and physiotherapy staff is unacceptable, and it's no wonder her mental health took a hit 
. I hope that clubs and leagues take this as an opportunity to review their policies on player welfare and make sure they're doing everything they can to prioritize players' mental health. It's not just about football, it's about people's lives 
. Laura's story needs to be heard and acted upon, so that no one else has to go through what she did 
.
... I mean, Laura's got a pretty rough deal going on here. Like, £8k surgery bill? That's no joke 
. Like, isn't that a pretty clear sign of a toxic environment? 
Not to mention the lack of support from the club and coaches during her rehab time 
.
. Get some support in there! Provide resources, listen, care... you know, the usual stuff 
. Otherwise, we'll just have more Holdens out there, struggling in silence 
. Clubs gotta prioritize player welfare, period! It's not rocket science, but I guess some people need a wake-up call 
. Holden's story might just do that, hopefully, it'll spark change & help players feel more supported when they're going through tough times 
. But still, how many other Laura Holdens are out there waiting for someone to listen? 
.
.
. It's time for clubs to prioritize player welfare and make sure they're supporting their athletes both physically and mentally 
.
! But seriously, Laura Holden's story is a harsh reminder that player welfare needs to be taken super seriously in the sports world. I mean, can you imagine being left out of matchday squad selections? That's like being benched on life support 
clubs need to take care of their players' well-being, not just push them back on the pitch 
maybe we can all learn from her story and make some positive change in the sports world 
also, can't believe the club didn't provide her with proper support or guidance during her rehab. it's not just about getting back on the pitch, but also taking care of your mental health. clubs need to prioritize player welfare and make sure they're not putting their players through a toxic environment. hopefully, her story will inspire some change in the industry 
️. It's not fair that she had to go through all that stress and anxiety alone 
. Let's hope Laura's story can serve as a wake-up call for clubs and coaches everywhere 
.
I'm also not sure how much responsibility the coaches and physio staff really had to provide support, but still, it's pretty sad that she had to go through all of this alone... 
. Laura Holden's story is super worrying, especially with all the things she had to go through - ACL injury, depression, and feeling like an outcast on her own team. It's wild that coaches and physio staff didn't provide her with the support she needed, it's just basic human decency. And now she's paying for her own surgery? £8k? That's crazy! I'm sure it'll take a lot of courage to speak out like this, so kudos to Laura for sharing her story... hopefully it'll lead to some actual change in the way clubs treat their players 
. It's not just about the player, but also about creating a safer culture for everyone involved 
