Nicky Grant

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Nicky Grant

| fullname = Nichola Anne Grant{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/eur-women05det.html|title=European Women Championship 2005 - Match Details|accessdate=2011-06-21|date=2005-06-19|website=RSSSF|author=Sébastien Duret and Neil Morrison}}

| image =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1976|08|13}}

| birth_place = Aberdeen, Scotland

| height =

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub =

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| years3 = {{0|0000}}–2001

| years4 = 2001

| years5 = 2002

| years6 = 2002–2003

| years7 = 2003

| years8 = 2003–2005

| years9 = 2005

| years10 = 2005–2006

| years11 = 2006–2010

| years12 = 2007

| years13 = 2011

| years14 = 2011

| years15 = 2012

| clubs1 = Cove Rangers

| clubs2 = Cumbernauld United

| clubs3 = Stenhousemuir

| clubs4 = ÍBV

| clubs5 = Arsenal

| clubs6 = Glasgow City

| clubs7 = 1. FFC Frankfurt

| clubs8 = Kilmarnock Ladies

| clubs9 = Doncaster Rovers Belles

| clubs10 = Hibernian Ladies

| clubs11 = Hamilton Academical Ladies

| clubs12 = QBIK

| clubs13 = Celtic Ladies

| clubs14 = Hamilton Academical Ladies

| clubs15 = Forfar Farmington

| caps1 =

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| caps3 =

| caps4 = 10

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| goals1 =

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| goals3 =

| goals4 = 3

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| nationalyears1= 1993–2006

| nationalteam1= Scotland

| nationalcaps1= 98 | nationalgoals1 = 7

| club-update = 12:00, 19 June 2011 (UTC)

| ntupdate = 12:00, 19 June 2011 (UTC)

}}

Nichola Anne "Nicky" Grant (born 13 August 1976) is a Scottish international footballer, who plays as a midfielder. She currently plays in the Scottish Women's Premier League for Forfar Farmington, having previously played in England for Arsenal and Doncaster Rovers Belles as well as in Iceland, Germany and Sweden. Grant amassed over 90 appearances for the Scotland women's national football team.

Club career

Born in Aberdeen and brought up in Elgin, Grant first came to prominence as a member of a successful Cove Rangers team,{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/HUNKY+DORY!%3B+Your+OTHER+national+squad+choose+their+Euro+96...-a061165023|title=HUNKY DORY!; Your OTHER national squad choose their Euro 96 heart-throbs|accessdate=2011-06-21|work=Sunday Mail|date=1996-06-02|author=Vicki Davidson}} where she signed an individual paid contract (the first such deal in Scottish football).[https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000445/19950527/019/0005 Grant Aid], Aberdeen Evening Express, 27 May 1995, via British Newspaper Archive {{subscription required}} She scored twice in the 1995 Scottish Women's Cup final as Cove beat Cumbernauld United 5–1 at McDiarmid Park,[https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19950515/455/0023 Cove women's cup glory], Press and Journal, 15 May 1995, via British Newspaper Archive {{subscription required}} and twice in the 1996 final as they defeated Aberdeen by the same score at the same venue.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/FIVE-STAR+ACES+HAVE+IT+DON+AND+DUSTED.-a061276198|title=FIVE-STAR ACES HAVE IT DON AND DUSTED|accessdate=2011-06-21|work=Daily Record|location=Glasgow|date=1996-05-13}} They won the trophy for the third time in 1997.[https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19970505/428/0021 Cove Rangers celebrate super Scottish Cup treble], Press and Journal, 5 May 1997, via British Newspaper Archive {{subscription required}} After switching to Cumbernauld United, Grant won a domestic treble in 1997–98.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Fleet+streets+ahead+of+%27em.-a060568099|title=Fleet streets ahead of 'em|accessdate=2011-06-21|work=Daily Record|location=Glasgow|date=1998-05-25|author=Alan Marshall}}

In the 2000 Scottish Women's Cup final, Grant scored four goals in Stenhousemuir's 9–0 win over Clyde.{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/magoo-regrets-she-was-unable-to-save-the-day-1.236896|title='Magoo' regrets she was unable to save the day|accessdate=2011-06-21|work=The Herald|author=Ian Black|date=2000-05-08}}

Grant spent the 2001 summer season in Iceland with ÍBV and scored three goals in ten Úrvalsdeild appearances.{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/ijs-wom01.html|title=Iceland - Women's Premier League 2001|accessdate=2011-02-20|author=Denis Polsinelli and Óskar Ó. Jónsson|website=RSSSF|date=2005-01-15}}{{cite web|url=http://www2.ksi.is/asp/listar/leikmadur.asp?pLeikmadurNr=138740&pListi=5|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130218220425/http://www2.ksi.is/asp/listar/leikmadur.asp?pLeikmadurNr=138740&pListi=5|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 February 2013|title=Nicky Grant|accessdate=2012-03-14|publisher=KSI.is}} She then collected an FA Women's Premier League winners medal with Arsenal Ladies in 2002, but did not wish to move to London long-term. In 2003 Grant joined Frauen Bundesliga champions 1. FFC Frankfurt as a full–time professional. She did not remain in Germany for long due to injuries and returned to Scotland to work as a teacher while playing for Kilmarnock.

In January 2005, Grant rejected an approach from Sunderland in favour of Doncaster Rovers Belles.{{cite web|url=http://www.givemefootball.com/womens-football/northern-division-black-cats-gaining-momentum-once|title=Northern Division: Black Cats gaining momentum once more!|accessdate=2011-06-21|publisher=Givemefootball.com|author=Ross Heppenstall|date=2005-01-24}}{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Grant helped Doncaster avoid relegation by scoring the second goal in a vital 2–0 win over Bristol City, but she was sent off for removing her shirt in celebration.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2005/feb/07/newsstory.sport1?INTCMP=SRCH|title=Women's football|accessdate=2011-06-21|work=The Guardian|author=Paula Cocozza|date=2005-02-07}}

In summer 2007 she joined Swedish Damallsvenskan club QBIK at the invitation of international teammate Ifeoma Dieke.{{cite web|url=http://www.nwt.se/sport/article20850.ece|title=Lärarinna med landslagsmeriter förstärker Qbik|accessdate=2011-06-21|publisher=NWT.se|author=Mikael Adamsson|date=2007-07-04|language=Swedish|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319031910/http://www.nwt.se/sport/article20850.ece|archive-date=19 March 2012|url-status=dead}}

After a spell at Hamilton Academical, Grant signed for Celtic in 2011.{{cite news|url=http://www.celticfc.net/newsstory?item=983|title=Celtic Women enjoy Easter victory|publisher=Celtic FC|accessdate=2011-08-02|date=2011-04-26|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405031645/http://www.celticfc.net/newsstory?item=983|archivedate=5 April 2012}} She returned to Accies during the Scottish Women's Premier League mid–season break.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands/1612978/former-scottish-female-international-gets-alness-head-job/|title = Former Scottish female international gets Alness head job| date=20 November 2018 }} Grant signed for Forfar Farmington ahead of the 2012 season, after moving to the Angus area for work reasons.{{cite news|url=http://www.scotzine.com/2012/03/a-double-grants-for-forfar-farmington/|title=A double Grants for Forfar Farmington|publisher=Scotzine|first=Andy|last=Muirhead|accessdate=2012-03-14|date=2012-03-13|archive-date=21 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821031640/http://www.scotzine.com/2012/03/a-double-grants-for-forfar-farmington/|url-status=dead}}

International career

Grant made her senior debut for Scotland against Italy in October 1993.{{cite web|url=http://thepink2.tripod.com/womens_football.htm|title=Scotland Women A Squad|accessdate=2011-06-21|publisher=The Pink 2}} The Scots were beaten 4–0 in the 1995 UEFA Women's Championship qualification match hosted in Senigallia.{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/ital-wom-intres.html|title=Italy - Women - International Results|accessdate=2011-06-21|website=RSSSF|date=2011-04-21}}

In summer 2003 Grant had a disagreement with the Scotland management team and spent a year out of the national team. She was recalled in July 2004 after her Kilmarnock Ladies manager Jim Chapman interceded.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/FOOTBALL%3a+Nicky+has+Scot+her+wish+with+a+recall%3b+WOMEN%27S+FOOTBALL.-a0119550935|title=FOOTBALL: Nicky has Scot her wish with a recall; WOMEN'S FOOTBALL|accessdate=2011-06-21|work=Daily Record|location=Glasgow|author=Ginny Clark|date=2004-07-21}}

Personal life

Grant's brother Graeme is also a footballer, who played with Buckie Thistle and Forres Mechanics in the Highland Football League, as well as spending 2002–03 with Elgin City in the Scottish Football League Third Division.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/FOOTBALL%3a+Keeping+it+inthefamily%3b+DAILY+KICK-ABOUTS+HELPED+SIBLINGS...-a0111771334|title=FOOTBALL: Keeping it in the family; DAILY KICK-ABOUTS HELPED SIBLINGS MAKE GRADE|accessdate=2011-06-21|work=Daily Record|location=Glasgow|author=Steven Rattray|date=2003-12-31}}

As of 2019, she was the head teacher of Alness Academy having been appointed at the end of the previous year. She had previously held senior roles at schools in Aberdeenshire and Moray.[https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands/1612978/former-scottish-female-international-gets-alness-head-job/amp/ Scottish former female international gets Alness head job], Press & Journal, 20 November 2018

References

External links

[http://www.celticfc.net/player_women_ngrant.php Nicky Grant]{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Celtic FC profile

Category:1976 births

Category:Living people

Category:Scottish women's footballers

Category:Scotland women's international footballers

Category:Footballers from Aberdeen

Category:Hibernian W.F.C. players

Category:Celtic F.C. Women players

Category:Arsenal W.F.C. players

Category:Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C. players

Category:Eintracht Frankfurt (women) players

Category:Glasgow City F.C. players

Category:Kilmarnock F.C. Women players