Martin Grainger
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{for multi|the Canadian journalist|Martin Allerdale Grainger|the Anglo-Greek neurologist who used the pseudonym Martin Grainger for his socialist writing|Chris Pallis}}
{{Distinguish|Martin Granger}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Martin Grainger
| image = Martin_Grainger_footballer.jpg
| caption = Grainger warming up at the Bescot Stadium in 1996
| fullname = Martin Robert Grainger{{Hugman|7581|accessdate=12 June 2015}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1972|8|23}}
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=10}}{{cite book |editor-last=Sewell |editor-first=Albert |title=News of the World Football Annual 1996–97 |publisher=Invincible Press |location=London |date=1996 |page=401 |isbn=978-0-00-218737-4}}
| birth_place = Enfield, England
| currentclub =
| position = Defender
| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–1989 | youthclubs1 = Colchester United
| years1 = 1992 | clubs1 = Wivenhoe Town - loan | caps1 = 6 | goals1 = 0
| years2 = 1989–1993 | clubs2 = Colchester United | caps2 = 62 | goals2 = 7
| years3 = 1993–1996 | clubs3 = Brentford | caps3 = 101 | goals3 = 12
| years4 = 1996–2005 | clubs4 = Birmingham City | caps4 = 226 | goals4 = 25
| years5 = 2004 | clubs5 = → Coventry City (loan) | caps5 = 7 | goals5 = 0
| totalcaps = 396 | totalgoals = 44
| manageryears1 = 2008 | managerclubs1 = Cheshunt
}}
Martin Grainger (born 23 August 1972) is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender. He made 380 appearances and scored 44 goals in the Football League and Premier League.{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player4/martingrainger.html |title=Martin Grainger |website=Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=12 June 2015}} He was an attacking left back who could also play further up the field or even as a winger and was a dead ball specialist.
Playing career
An experienced player, his career started in 1989 at Colchester United, where he made 37 league starts between July 1992 and October 1993, before moving on to Brentford on 21 October for a fee of £60,000. He was a first-team regular throughout his time at the club, making 100 league starts and scoring 12 goals. He joined Birmingham City on 25 March 1996, and quickly became an inspirational player due to his continued consistency and ability from set-pieces.
He picked up the Player of the Season award for 1999–2000,{{cite web |url=http://www.bcfc-archive.freeserve.co.uk/poty.htm |title=Player of the Year |website=The Birmingham City FC Archive |date=13 December 2002 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041228133811/http://www.bcfc-archive.freeserve.co.uk/poty.htm |archivedate=28 December 2004 |access-date=29 October 2019 |url-status=dead }} and played for Birmingham in the 2001 Football League Cup Final loss to Liverpool, missing one of the spot kicks in the shootout. As Birmingham continued to improve in the First Division, and eventually earned promotion into the Premiership, Grainger's playing time became limited. He failed to appear for Birmingham due to injury during the first half of the 2003–04 season, and in February he was loaned to Coventry City, for whom he made seven league appearances. On 18 March 2004, he was recalled to Birmingham's team due to an injury crisis, and got on the scoresheet in a 2–1 defeat to Manchester United, but was himself injured and failed to appear in any matches for the rest of the season.
Grainger retired from football on 1 January 2005, having spent 13 years as a player. His goal-scoring appearance against Manchester United, on 10 April 2004, proved to be his final professional fixture. In the years following his retirement, Grainger has continued to be a popular figure amongst supporters of Birmingham City.{{cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/martin-grainger-57238 |title=Martin Grainger |first=Colin |last=Tattum |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=22 January 2008 |accessdate=12 June 2015}}
Managerial career
In January 2008, Grainger was appointed manager of Southern League Premier Division club Cheshunt, but left the post after less than a week.{{Cite news |url=http://www.edp24.co.uk/cmlink/east_herts_herald_2_410/sport/grainger_quits_as_cheshunt_boss_1_29613 |title=Grainger quits as Cheshunt boss |newspaper=East Herts Herald |date=14 January 2008 |accessdate=29 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055410/http://www.edp24.co.uk/cmlink/east_herts_herald_2_410/sport/grainger_quits_as_cheshunt_boss_1_29613 |archive-date=4 March 2016}} In their only game during his tenure, Cheshunt lost 4–0 to Hemel Hempstead Town.{{cite web |url=http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/Sport/Grainger-era-starts-with-defeat.htm |title=Grainger era starts with defeat |first=Marc |last=Beyeler |newspaper=Hertfordshire Mercury |date=13 January 2008 |accessdate=29 October 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808061244/http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/Sport/Grainger-era-starts-with-defeat.htm |archivedate=8 August 2014}}
Personal life
Martin met Nicola at the age of seventeen. They married in Forty Hill, Enfield in 1995. Martin and Nicola have two Sons, Charlie and Sonnie.
His son Charlie also became a professional footballer, playing as a goalkeeper. He joined Leyton Orient in 2009,{{cite web |url=http://www.leytonorient.com/news/article/grainger-big-interview-160413-774555.aspx |title=The big interview: Charlie Grainger |first=Jonny |last=Davies |publisher=Leyton Orient F.C. |date=16 April 2013 |accessdate=5 August 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808054429/http://www.leytonorient.com/news/article/grainger-big-interview-160413-774555.aspx |archivedate=8 August 2014}} turned professional in 2014,{{cite web |url=http://www.farnboroughfc.co.uk/2014/08/grainger-its-going-to-be-a-great-season/ |title=Grainger: It's going to be a great season |publisher=Farnborough F.C. |date=1 August 2014 |accessdate=5 August 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630174416/http://www.farnboroughfc.co.uk/2014/grainger-its-going-to-be-a-great-season/ |archivedate=30 June 2017}} and has represented England at under-18 level.{{cite web |url=http://www.thefa.com/news/england/development/2014/mar/england-u18s-1-2-croatia-match-report |title=Déjà-vu for England U18s as they slip to Croatia defeat |first=Nicholas |last=Veevers |publisher=The Football Association |date=5 March 2014 |accessdate=5 August 2014}}
Honours
References
{{Reflist}}
{{2000–01 Football League First Division Team of the Year}}
{{Birmingham City F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{Birmingham City F.C. Hall of Fame}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grainger, Martin}}
Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Enfield
Category:People from Enfield, London
Category:Men's association football fullbacks
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Colchester United F.C. players
Category:Brentford F.C. players
Category:Birmingham City F.C. players
Category:Coventry City F.C. players
Category:National League (English football) players
Category:English Football League players