Happy home helps Holland move

Family man Matt Holland clinched his £750,000 (€1.06m) switch from Ipswich to Charlton today and then spoke of his delight that his wife and children do not have to uproot from Essex.

The Ipswich captain, 29, moved on a four-year contract in a deal which could rise to £900,000 (€1.27m) – as Town will get £50,000 (€70.9m) a season for the next three years if the Addicks retain their top-flight status.

The Ireland midfielder’s proposed transfer to Portsmouth broke down last week when Pompey said they could not afford his personal terms.

Charlton leapt in and agreed a deal over the weekend to make him their second recent signing from Ipswich following centre-back Hermann Hreidarsson’s £900,000 (€1.27m) move in March.

Holland revealed the importance of his family’s happiness at their Colchester home had played in his move.

“I felt part of the furniture at Portman Road – but I’m 29 and want to be playing Premiership football,” he told www.itfc.co.uk.

“My family’s happiness is vital to me and it’s been well-documented my family are very settled here. That had a big bearing on my decision.

“My wife Paula loves the area and my children are delighted we don’t have to move. They have friends here and are settled in schools.

“People have said I wouldn’t have gone to Portsmouth because I’d have had to uproot my family – but that’s not the case.

“Paula had checked out the schools down there and was looking at property. But there were a couple of things not quite right with the deal.

“Then Charlton came in with similar terms and the advantages location-wise.”

Holland, who made more than 250 appearances in six years at Town, will join up with his new team-mates on July 14, after a family holiday in Mauritius.

Charlton boss Alan Curbishley told www.cafc.co.uk: “I’m delighted to get Matt.

“He’s a quality international and will be a valuable addition to the squad.

“A number of clubs were interested in signing him. The fact he did not have to move house was an important factor in his decision to choose Charlton.”

Ipswich chairman David Sheepshanks admitted his cash-strapped club were struggling to pay Holland’s wages.

“Making the decision to part with such a player has been a horrible experience for us – but I can only emphasise we really had no alternative,” he said.

“Finances are improving, but given the devastating effect of relegation and the collapse of the transfer market, it’s impossible for a club of our size to afford the Premiership wages Matt rightly commands.”

Bury-born Holland joined the Suffolk side from Bournemouth in 1997.

The Cherries insisted on a sell-on clause of 25% for any fee over £800,000 (€1.1m) - so will pocket a maximum of £25,000 (€35.4m) from Holland’s sale if Charlton stay in the Premiership until 2006.