Tony Grant (English footballer)

Football player infobox| playername= Tony Grant


fullname = Anthony Grant
nickname = Grantona, The Scouse Makélélé
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1974|11|14
cityofbirth = Liverpool
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Unattached
clubnumber =
position = Midfielder
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1993–1999
1996
1999
1999–2001
2000–2001
2001–2005
2005–2006
2006–2007
2007 2007–2008 1993–
clubs = Everton → Swindon Town (loan) → Tranmere Rovers (loan) Manchester City → West Bromwich Albion (loan) Burnley Bristol City Crewe Alexandra
Accrington Stanley
Chester City Total
caps(goals) = 061 (2) 003 (1) 009 (0) 021 (0) 005 (0) 141 (3) 000 (0) 014 (0) 006 (0) 019 (1) 279 (7)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = May 10, 2008

Tony Grant (born 14 November 1974, Liverpool, England) is a professional footballer who is currently without a club after being released by Chester City.

Career

Early career (1993-1999)

Tony Grant signed as a trainee for Everton, making his debut for 'The Toffees' two years later, in the 1-0 defeat at Manchester City in December 1993 Grant scored his first professional goal in Everton's 3-1 win over Rejkjavik in October 1995 and bagged his first league goal up at Middlesbrough in March 1996 . In January 1996, Grant signed for Swindon Town on loan, where he played three games for 'The Robins', scoring one goal. Three years later, Grant was loaned out again, this time to Tranmere Rovers where he played eight games for them and scored one goal; the second goal in Tranmere's 2–0 win over Oxford in the League Cup (Steven Yates getting the opener for Rovers).

On Christmas Eve, December 1999, Tony Grant signed for Manchester City for a fee of £450,000. Grant made his debut for City in the 2–0 win over West Brom, but during his time at City he never scored.

Late career (2000-Present)

Grant was then loaned out to West Bromwich Albion in December 2000, where he played just five games for 'The Baggies'. In October 2001, Grant moved to Burnley signing for a fee of £250,000.

Despite initial poor performances, Grant soon became regarded as an excellent signing by Stan Ternent and went on to play 141 games for 'The Clarets', scoring three goals. During his time at Burnley he was most frequently played in the defensive-midfield role, which enabled him to display his range of passing and game-reading ability. Grant became an important member of the team, but was released on a free-transfer at the end of the 2005 season.

He then moved to Bristol City on a free transfer, but only played one game for them; Bristol City's 4-2 league cup defeat to Barnet.

In January 2006, after injury problems, Grant signed for Gradi's Crewe Alexandra, and made ten appearances before the end of the 2005–06 season, but failed to rescue Crewe from relegation to the English League One. He signed a new one-year deal to play for Crewe on 1 June2006.

On January 31 2007, Grant joined Accrington Stanley as player–coach. He left the club at the end of the season.

On July 27 2007, Grant completed a move to Chester City, signing a one year contract under new manager Bobby Williamson. He scored his only goal for the club in a 2–1 win at Rochdale on August 18 2007. He left the club at the end of the season. [Cite news
title= Seven leave Deva Stadium as Chester wield the axe | url= http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/sport/chester-fc/2008/05/10/seven-leave-deva-stadium-as-chester-wield-the-axe-64375-20889086/ | publisher= Daily Post| date= 2008-05-10 | accessdate= 2008-05-10] He is currently on Trial at Huddersfield Town.

External links

*soccerbase|id=3021|name=Tony Grant
* [http://www.chestercityfc.net/Player?playerId=1153985 Chester City Official Website Profile]
* [http://www.claretsmad.co.uk/news/loadfeat.asp?cid=ED35&id=310560 Burnley Career Stats]

References