FORMER Wanderers star Stuart Holden has called his goal against Blackburn Rovers the highlight of his playing career.

Holden took the ball on his chest and found the bottom corner with a superb strike from the edge of the penalty area.

It was the Whites’ first win over Blackburn in 10 years and saw them climb to fifth in the Premier League table.

"Playing in the Premier League, playing for Bolton, playing against your biggest rival in Blackburn - I’ll never forget the derby day when we were up a goal and Blackburn equalised late,” Holden told BonusFinder.

"We were down a man and probably my greatest ever footballing memory and moment - scoring the winning goal in the 89th minute off of a big Kevin Davies flick on and smashing it in the back of the net.

"Just that feeling, that rush, and blacking out and the fans going crazy and knowing what that meant for all of those supporters but also for me and my family.

“It’s a goal which has bought me many free drinks throughout Bolton pubs over the years, and I’m looking forward to getting back and claiming a few more of those freebies that have been promised to me."

Holden joined Wanderers from Houston Dynamo in January 2010 but his time at the UniBol was impacted by a series of injuries.

The midfielder says it was a dream come true to play in the Premier League and insists it is the best league in the world.

He added: “Growing up I always wanted to play in the Premier League. It was a dream of mine and finally getting the chance and the opportunity to play in the Premier League with a team like Bolton was great for me.

“It’s a club that had so much history and really the couple of seasons that we had, we were competing towards the top of the Premier League.

“I think in March 2010 we were fifth place when I picked up my first injury, so I had a lot of unfortunate injuries throughout my career but was still able to play a number of games and compete with some of the biggest stars and the biggest teams in the world.

“I truly believe the Premier League the best league in the world from an intensity standpoint - the stadium, the fans, the excitement level and knowing that every game, whether it was against the top six or against a team fighting for relegation, was going to be a different type of challenge.

“As an American, having that opportunity to play in those types of games - it’s something that I truly cherish and look back at.”