HIGHLIGHTS
- Hoilett’s pace, dribbling skills, and eye for the spectacular made him an exciting and difficult player to defend against throughout his career.
- His decision to choose Blackburn over Manchester United showcased his desire for more playing time and support at a young age, leading to success at Ewood Park.
- Hoilett’s time at QPR and Cardiff, playing under Neil Warnock, resulted in memorable moments, including important goals and promotion to the Premier League.
Junior Hoilett played in the Premier League for all three of the current Championship teams—Blackburn Rovers, Queens Park Rangers, and Cardiff City—and had successful stints with each of them.
With his low center of gravity, ability to draw fouls, and link-up playmaking abilities, the 34-year-old was the kind of player who would thrill the crowd throughout his career.
His quickness and deft dribbling have also been major contributors to his success.
He may not be known for scoring goals frequently, but he has a true eye for the exceptional. Fans of all three clubs will probably be able to recall at least one of his many spectacular goals.
Hoilett began playing for Blackburn in England.
Playing for a traveling Canadian side in a tournament in Wales, Hoilett was initially noticed by Premier League scouts. in the age of twelve, he turned down Manchester United. In 2010, he discussed his decision to choose Blackburn over the Red Devils with the Lancashire Telegraph.
“My first trial was with Manchester United, but I ultimately chose to come to Blackburn because I liked the city. I believed that Blackburn would provide me with more opportunities for success, and I was really impressed with how they discussed taking care of me while I was young. I have no regrets about the choice because they followed through on all they mentioned. At the time, Manchester United was really interested in me and wanted me to return, but I had already made the decision to go to Blackburn.”
After spending some time on loan in Germany as a youngster due to his initial inability to obtain a work permit, Hoilett was eventually granted permission to play for Blackburn in England.
Hoilett played in the Premier League for three seasons while in the first squad at Ewood Park. 2011 saw Rovers clinch their safety with a 3-2 victory at Molineux thanks to an outstanding brace he struck against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
He was only a youngster during his time with Blackburn, but scored 12 goals in the top flight for the club. His most productive season was the 2011/12 campaign, which ended in relegation for Blackburn and proved to be Hoilett’s final year at the club.
| Junior Hoilett’s 2011/12 Premier League stats; according to Transfermarkt | ||
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 34 | 7 | 5 |
Hoilett left Blackburn for QPR
Hoilett left Blackburn to join QPR, where he played under manager Neil Warnock for the first time.
Following relegation from the Premier League, he played a key part as QPR bounced back at the first time of asking after beating Derby County 1-0 in the play-off final at Wembley in 2014.
His hard work and perseverance led to one of the most iconic moments in QPR’s history, as he battled hard to get in a cross that was deflected into the path of Bobby Zamora to score the winning goal.
Hoilett reunited with Warnock at Cardiff
Hoilett departed Loftus Road in 2016 and joined Cardiff in the Championship, linking back up with Warnock after their time together at QPR.
He has played under Warnock for QPR, Cardiff and current club Aberdeen, and spoke about the manager when he first arrived in South Wales:
“The Manager puts belief in his players and this is a great group of lads. Everyone loves playing for the Gaffer.”
The pair achieved promotion to the Premier League at the end of the 2017/18 season, after Hoilett had scored nine goals and assisted 11 over the course of the campaign.
The winger scored a memorable winning goal for Cardiff against Wolves in one of the Bluebirds’ best moments of their season back in the top flight.
He played for Canada at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a highlight in a successful career that Blackburn, QPR and Cardiff fans will feel glad they got to enjoy.
At those three clubs, he is fondly remembered.
