Marek Grabowski

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Marek Grabowski

|image =

|fullname =

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|1|20}}

|birth_place = Lewin Brzeski, Poland

|height = 1.77 m

|position = Forward

|currentclub =

|youthyears1 =

|youthclubs1 =

|years1 = 1981–1983 |clubs1 = Metal Grodków |caps1 = |goals1 =

|years2 = 1984–1990 |clubs2 = Moto Jelcz Oława |caps2 = |goals2 =

|years3 = 1991 |clubs3 = North York Rockets |caps3 = 28 |goals3 = 10

|years4 = 1992–1998 |clubs4 = Moto Jelcz Oława |caps4 = |goals4 =

|years5 = 1998–2001 |clubs5 = Polar Wrocław |caps5 = |goals5 =

|years6 = 2001 |clubs6 = Śląsk Wrocław |caps6 = 3 |goals6 = 0

|years7 = 2002–2004 |clubs7 = Polar Wrocław |caps7 = 68 |goals7 = 7

|years8 = 2004 |clubs8 = Śląsk Wrocław |caps8 = |goals8 =

|years9 = 2004–2005 |clubs9 = Foto-Higiena Oława |caps9 = |goals9 =

|years10 = 2005–2007 |clubs10= Foto-Higiena Gać |caps10= |goals10=

|years11 = 2007–2008 |clubs11= Polonia Miłoszyce |caps11= |goals11=

|nationalyears1 =

|nationalteam1 =

|nationalcaps1 =

|nationalgoals1 =

|club-update =

|nationalteam-update =

}}

Marek Grabowski (born 20 January 1964) is a Polish former professional footballer who played as a forward.

Career

He began his career in Poland with Metal Grodków before moving to Moto Jelcz Oława.{{Cite web|url=http://www.90minut.pl/kariera.php?id=2769|title=Marek Grabowski|work=90 minut}}

In 1991, he joined the North York Rockets of the Canadian Soccer League, where he scored 10 goals in 28 appearances.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorsoccer/stats/p-grabomar001|title=Marek Grabowski|work=Stats Crew}} He won the Top Newcomer Award for the 1991 CSL season.{{cite web|url=https://pdfhost.io/v/zhGgh7~Lr_1991_CSL_Statspdf.pdf|title=1991 CSL Stats|work=Canadian Soccer League}}

Afterwards, he returned to Poland, where he played for Moto Jelcz Oława and Polar Wrocław. In 2001, he joined Śląsk Wrocław.{{cite web|url=https://www.sport.pl/pilka/1,64946,337370.html|title=Śląsk Wrocław|date=July 24, 2001|trans-title=Slask Wroclaw|work=Sport.pl|language=pl}} He made his first league appearance as a substitute in a 1–0 win over Legia Warsaw on 21 July 2001 at the age of 37 years and 182 days, making him the oldest player to make an Ekstraklasa debut in the 21st century, and the second oldest in the league's history.{{cite web |last1=Kmita |first1=Maciej |title=Oldboj debiutantem? W Ekstraklasie to możliwe! |trans-title=Oldboj a debutant? It's possible in Ekstraklasa!|url=https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/pilka-nozna/fototemat/536472/lepiej-pozno-niz-wcale-czyli-kariera-zaczyna-sie-po-30/10 |website=sportowefakty.wp.pl |access-date=27 July 2024 |language=pl |date=27 July 2015}} He returned to Polar soon after.{{cite web|url=https://wroclaw.wyborcza.pl/wroclaw/1,35760,1101659.html?disableRedirects=true|trans-title=Polar won the derby with Silesia|first=Artur|last=Brzozowski|date=November 3, 2002|language=Polish|title=Polar wygrał derby ze Śląskiem|work=Gazeta Wyborcza}} He served as team captain for Polar and became a player-coach in 2003.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sport.pl/sport/1,65025,1581956.html|title=Najprawdopodobniej Polar zagra w II lidze|trans-title=Most likely, Polar will play in the 2nd league|date=July 17, 2003|first=Artur|last=Brzozowski|work=Sport.pl|language=Polish}}

In 2004, after head coach Tadeusz Pawłowski was dismissed, he was one of four players removed from Polar.{{cite web|url=https://www.sport.pl/sport/1,65025,1870088.html|title=Jak Polar Wrocław traktuje Marka Grabowskiego|language=Polish|trans-title=How Polar Wrocław treats Marek Grabowski|date=January 16, 2004|first=Artur|last=Brzozowski|work=Sport.pl}} While no reason was given for his removal, it was unofficially known that the club managers did not like that he was one of a few players who consistently demanded payment of outstanding salaries. He received a letter from the club that he was no longer to play for the club, but was barred from training for any other team without their permission, including the reserves, despite previously saying he would be allowed to play for the second team. Grabowski submitted a letter to Polar and the Polish Football Association, demanding the termination of his contract due to unpaid wages.{{cite web|url=https://www.sport.pl/sport/1,65025,1877269.html|trans-title=Polar Wrocław wants to terminate the contract with Marek Grabowski|title=Polar Wrocław chce rozwiazać kontrakt z Markiem Grabowskim|language=Polish|date=January 20, 2004|work=Sport.pl}} Late in January, the training ban was revoked and he was free to train with other clubs.{{cite web|url=https://www.sport.pl/sport/1,65025,1878593.html|trans-title=Grabowski can train now|language=Polish|date=January 21, 2004|title=Grabowski może już trenować|work=Sport.pl}} In February, his contract was officially terminated by mutual consent.{{cite web|url=https://wroclaw.naszemiasto.pl/grabowski-na-oporowskiej/ar/c2-5876399|trans-title=Grabowski on Oporowska Street|first=Andrzej|last=Lewandowski|date=February 9, 2004|language=Polish|title=Grabowski na Oporowskiej|work=Nasze Miasto}}

Afterwards, he returned to Śląsk Wrocław.{{cite web|url=https://www.slasknet.com/news/marek-grabowski-trenuje-z-wksem-1529|trans-title=Marek Grabowski trains with WKS!|language=Polish|date=February 9, 2004|first=Marcin|last=Polański|work=Slasknet|title=Marek Grabowski trenuje z WKSem!}} In 2004, he was charged in connection with a match-fixing scandal in connection with his former club Polar.{{cite web|url=https://www.sport.pl/sport/1,69628,2169522.html|trans-title=The Polar corruption scandal - Marek G. has been charged|title=Afera korupcyjna Polaru - Markowi G. postawiono zarzuty|date=July 7, 2004|work=Sport.pl|language=Polish|first1=Artur|last1=Brzozowski|first2=Mirosław|last2=Maciorowski}}