Holland was born in Whalley, Lancashire, started his football career as a trainee at Preston North End in 1993. He made just one league appearance as a substitute before signing for Premier League club Newcastle United on 20 January 1994 for a fee of £100,000. However, an eye injury sustained during an ammonia attack hindered his progress and he joined Birmingham City on loan on 3 September 1996. The loan was made permanent in October 1996 for a fee of £600,000. He helped Birmingham reach the Division One play offs in 1999, however he missed a crucial penalty as they lost to Watford in a shoot out. He made 88 appearances in all competitions for Birmingham, of which 70 were in the league. On 3 February 2000, Holland joined Huddersfield Town for a fee of £100,000. He scored the first goal of his professional career, a winner against Nottingham Forest, on 21 March. He played regularly for three seasons, but when told by manager Peter Jackson that a new contract would not be offered at the end of the 2003–04 season, he chose to join League Two club Boston United in March 2004. After two years playing regularly, during which he made 85 league appearances, he moved nearer to his Lancashire home when he signed an 18-month contract with Conference National club Southport on 31 January 2007 on a free transfer. Despite Southport's relegation to the Conference North at the end of the season, Holland agreed a new contract and was appointed club captain. Holland was a vital part of the Southport side in the 2007–08 season. He scored his first goal for the club at Hyde United. His next goal came three weeks later in Southport's 3–1 victory at his old club Boston United. In July 2008 Holland signed for Northern Premier League Premier Division club Leigh Genesis on a free transfer. He made his debut on the opening day of the 2008–09 season, in a 2–0 defeat to Eastwood Town. He scored his first goal in his tenth game for the club on 20 September in a 4–2 defeat to Whitby Town. On 14 November 2008 he joined Conference North club Fleetwood Town, making his debut the next day in a 2–1 away victory over Stafford Rangers. In March 2009, Holland joined another Conference North outfit, Burscough. He remained at Burscough until the end of the season, then joined Guiseley of the Northern Premier League. He helped that club win the title in his first season, but was appointed assistant managerin September 2010, and thereafter his appearances were restricted to the substitutes' bench or cup matches.
International career
Holland is a former England youth and under-21 international. He won the first of his ten under-21 caps while at Newcastle.
