In a shocking account of her harrowing two-year stint at Aberdeen, midfielder Laura Holden has revealed that she was left feeling neglected and unsupported by the club's coaching staff, physiotherapy team, and even its own women's players.
The injury-ravaged 30-minute spell on the pitch six months into her contract may have seemed minor to some, but for Holden, it marked a turning point in an already precarious situation. The physical toll of her ACL rupture was compounded by the mental anguish she endured at the hands of those entrusted with her care.
"I was so naive to the fact that I was struggling," Holden admits, reflecting on the devastating impact of Aberdeen's handling of her injury. "The rehab mentally destroyed me without me even realising it." As she navigated the gruelling rehabilitation process, Holden found herself constantly seeking reassurance from a physio who seemed more focused on ticking boxes than providing genuine support.
Her pleas for help were repeatedly dismissed as Holden struggled to come to terms with being made a "burden" by those in charge. The lack of transparency and accountability at Aberdeen left her feeling isolated, powerless, and desperate for answers.
One particularly harrowing incident – a row with the physio on the training pitch – has been etched into Holden's memory forever. In a moment that exposed the raw emotion she had been struggling to keep hidden, Holden was reduced to tears as she questioned her own value to the team.
"It got to the point where I was so done," she confesses. "I was so ready to just drop it all and quit." The mental strain eventually took its toll on her relationship with Aberdeen, a club that had once been the centre of her universe.
In an astonishing twist, Holden's departure from the club came not due to any perceived shortcomings on her part but rather a combination of factors – including a new coach, Scott Booth, who seemed more interested in finding a suitable loan destination than nurturing his star midfielder.
For Holden, though, it was clear that she had become dispensable. As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, her resolve began to crumble. The prospect of returning to the pitch and facing the same emotional pitfalls once again proved too much to bear.
Today, as she looks back on an experience that will forever define her journey through women's football, Holden is adamant that she does not want what happened to her to happen to anyone else. Her courage in speaking out about the systemic failures at Aberdeen serves as a powerful reminder of the need for greater support and accountability within the sport.
As she embarks on a new chapter in Swindon Town, Holden remains resolute in her commitment to raise awareness about the very real mental health challenges faced by women footballers. Her story is an uncomfortable truth that must be confronted head-on – one that highlights the urgent need for clubs, coaches, and teammates to support those struggling with injury or hardship.
"I don't want what happened to me to happen to anyone else," she says, her voice still laced with emotion. And in speaking out, Holden has given a generation of young players a vital lifeline – one that will hopefully help them navigate the treacherous landscape of professional football with greater ease and compassion than ever before.
The injury-ravaged 30-minute spell on the pitch six months into her contract may have seemed minor to some, but for Holden, it marked a turning point in an already precarious situation. The physical toll of her ACL rupture was compounded by the mental anguish she endured at the hands of those entrusted with her care.
"I was so naive to the fact that I was struggling," Holden admits, reflecting on the devastating impact of Aberdeen's handling of her injury. "The rehab mentally destroyed me without me even realising it." As she navigated the gruelling rehabilitation process, Holden found herself constantly seeking reassurance from a physio who seemed more focused on ticking boxes than providing genuine support.
Her pleas for help were repeatedly dismissed as Holden struggled to come to terms with being made a "burden" by those in charge. The lack of transparency and accountability at Aberdeen left her feeling isolated, powerless, and desperate for answers.
One particularly harrowing incident – a row with the physio on the training pitch – has been etched into Holden's memory forever. In a moment that exposed the raw emotion she had been struggling to keep hidden, Holden was reduced to tears as she questioned her own value to the team.
"It got to the point where I was so done," she confesses. "I was so ready to just drop it all and quit." The mental strain eventually took its toll on her relationship with Aberdeen, a club that had once been the centre of her universe.
In an astonishing twist, Holden's departure from the club came not due to any perceived shortcomings on her part but rather a combination of factors – including a new coach, Scott Booth, who seemed more interested in finding a suitable loan destination than nurturing his star midfielder.
For Holden, though, it was clear that she had become dispensable. As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, her resolve began to crumble. The prospect of returning to the pitch and facing the same emotional pitfalls once again proved too much to bear.
Today, as she looks back on an experience that will forever define her journey through women's football, Holden is adamant that she does not want what happened to her to happen to anyone else. Her courage in speaking out about the systemic failures at Aberdeen serves as a powerful reminder of the need for greater support and accountability within the sport.
As she embarks on a new chapter in Swindon Town, Holden remains resolute in her commitment to raise awareness about the very real mental health challenges faced by women footballers. Her story is an uncomfortable truth that must be confronted head-on – one that highlights the urgent need for clubs, coaches, and teammates to support those struggling with injury or hardship.
"I don't want what happened to me to happen to anyone else," she says, her voice still laced with emotion. And in speaking out, Holden has given a generation of young players a vital lifeline – one that will hopefully help them navigate the treacherous landscape of professional football with greater ease and compassion than ever before.
Aberdeen's handling of Laura Holden's injury is just shocking. She was left feeling so neglected & unsupported, it's unbelievable 
. The fact that she felt like a "burden" to the physio team is just heartbreaking. I mean, who can't provide genuine support to someone going through a tough time? 
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. I hope her story can raise awareness & help create a more supportive environment for all women footballers 
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especially that physio who just seemed to be ticking boxes without any actual care or support 
and now she's speaking out & i'm literally so proud of her for being a total legend 
mental health in football is such an important issue & i hope more clubs take notice & start doing better 
... but at the same time, I'm pretty certain that it's actually a really common problem for female footballers who get injured or struggle with mental health issues 
I think clubs and coaching staff need to be way more proactive about supporting their players, but maybe they're not as bad as people are making them out to be? 
... this is so messed up! I mean, can you imagine being on the team, working your butt off, and then feeling like a burden to everyone around you? It's like they didn't care about Laura's well-being at all. The fact that she had to go through all that mental anguish just because of her injury is insane 
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it's crazy how they made her feel like a "burden" and didn't care about her well-being 
especially for women players who already face so many challenges on the pitch 
i hope her experience will lead to change and more support for players struggling with injury or hardship 
. Clubs need to prioritize their player's mental health just as much as their physical well-being, especially when it comes to injuries and recovery. I mean, how hard can it be for someone to say "hey, we need to check in with Laura more often" or "we should have a plan in place for supporting her during rehab"? It sounds like Aberdeen was completely clueless 
. And the fact that they made Laura feel like she was a burden? That's just unacceptable 
think aberdeen's problem isnt just laura holden they didnt create an environment where she felt supported... physiotherapy team should be there for players not just ticking boxes 
mental health matters way more than just getting the player back on pitch ASAP 
might need to rethink how clubs handle injuries and player welfare in general... can't just rely on 'we're sorry' when things go wrong 
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. What do you guys think?
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clubs need to prioritize their players' mental health way more, especially in a sport where injuries are super common 
we should all be supporting our favorite athletes, not making them feel like they're on their own 
Swindon Town is lucky to have her, let's see how long they can keep up the charade 
lets make sure clubs & teams prioritize their players' well-being over winning trophies