Ross Graham (footballer)
{{short description|Scottish footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ross Graham
| caption =
| image =
| image_size =
| fullname = Ross James Graham
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|2|23 |df=y}}
| birth_place = Blairgowrie, Scotland
| height = {{convert|1.97|m|order=flip}}{{cite news |title=Ross Graham |url=https://www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk/team/first-team/ross-graham |access-date=30 January 2022 |publisher=Dundee United F.C.}}
| position = Central defender
| currentclub = Dundee United
| clubnumber = 6
| youthclubs1 = Blairgowrie & Rattray Community
| youthclubs2 = Dundee West
| youthyears3 = 2012–18
| youthclubs3 = Dundee United
| years1 = 2018–
| clubs1 = Dundee United
| caps1 = 54
| goals1 = 5
| years2 = 2020
| clubs2 = → Elgin City (loan)
| caps2 = 8
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2020–2021
| clubs3 = → Cove Rangers (loan)
| caps3 = 24
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2021–2022
| clubs4 = → Dunfermline Athletic (loan)
| caps4 = 9
| goals4 = 0
| club-update = 10:00, 24 October 2024 (UTC)
| nationalyears1 = 2022
| nationalteam1 = Scotland U21
| nationalcaps1 = 3
| nationalgoals1= 1
}}
Ross James Graham (born 23 February 2001) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a central defender for {{Scottish football updater|DundeeUn}} club Dundee United. He has also played for Elgin City, Cove Rangers and Dunfermline Athletic on loan before making his Premiership debut for Dundee United in 2022.
Early life
Graham was born in Blairgowrie, Perth and Kinross,{{cite news |last1=Hart |first1=Ross |title=Pars: Centre back Graham arrives |url=https://www.dunfermlinepress.com/sport/19415046.dunfermline-ross-graham-joins-loan-dundee-united/ |access-date=30 January 2022 |work=Dunfermline Press |date=2 July 2021}} where he attended Newhill Primary School. He began playing football at Blairgowrie & Rattray Community F.C. From 2013 he attended St John's Roman Catholic High School in Dundee where he was part of the Scottish Football Association (SFA) Performance School Programme.{{cite news |last1=Menzies |first1=Johnathon |title=Local lads selected for football development programme |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/local-lads-selected-football-development-2721790 |access-date=30 January 2022 |work=Daily Record |date=15 August 2013}}
Personal life
Career
=Club=
As well as progressing through the SFA programme, Graham joined the Dundee United Academy in 2012 from Dundee West. He was initially an attacking midfielder before being converted to a central defender. After impressing for the club's under-17 team, he signed a professional contract in July 2018. Early in the 2018–19 season, he made two first team appearances as youthful United teams faced St Johnstone Colts and Alloa Athletic in the Scottish Challenge Cup.{{cite news |title=Ross Graham Player Profile |url=https://www.arabarchive.co.uk/player.php?id=1937 |access-date=30 January 2022 |work=Arab Archive}}
In September 2019, Graham signed a new three-year contract with Dundee United.{{cite news |title=Academy graduate Ross Graham extends contract |url=https://www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk/news/6209/ACADEMY-GRADUATE-ROSS-GRAHAM-EXTENDS-CONTRACT.html |access-date=30 January 2022 |publisher=Dundee United F.C. |date=6 September 2019}} After being an unused substitute for the first team on several occasions, he joined Scottish League Two club Elgin City on loan in January 2020 for the rest of the 2019–20 season.{{cite news |title=Ross Graham joins Elgin City on loan |url=https://www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk/news/6395/ROSS-GRAHAM-JOINS-ELGIN-CITY-ON-LOAN.html |access-date=30 January 2022 |publisher=Dundee United F.C. |date=18 January 2020}} He made eight appearances for Elgin before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news |last1=Skinner |first1=Andy |title=Ross Graham wants to use spell on loan at Cove Rangers from Dundee United to 'learn men's game' |url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/cove-rangers/2572846/ross-graham-wants-to-use-spell-on-loan-at-cove-rangers-from-dundee-united-to-learn-mens-game/ |access-date=30 January 2022 |work=The Press and Journal |date=16 October 2020 |location=Aberdeen}}
Graham began the 2020–21 season training with Dundee United's first team squad before going on loan again, joining League One club Cove Rangers in October for the rest of the season. He made 23 appearances for Cove in all competitions. In July 2021 he signed a further three-year contract extension with Dundee United and then immediately departed on another season's loan, with Championship club Dunfermline Athletic.{{cite news |last1=Woodger |first1=Calum |title=Ross Graham signs new deal at Dundee United and immediately joins Dunfermline on season-long loan |url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/2349616/ross-graham-signs-new-deal-at-dundee-united-and-immediately-joins-dunfermline-on-season-long-loan/ |access-date=30 January 2022 |work=The Courier |date=1 July 2021 |location=Dundee}}
At Dunfermline, Graham played in the first seven matches of the season, but after only one further appearance and a change of manager at the club, his loan was cut short in January 2022.{{cite news |last1=Hart |first1=Ross |title=McCann pens new deal as defender departs |url=https://www.dunfermlinepress.com/news/19823351.dunfermline-lewis-mccann-signs-deal-ross-graham-departs/ |access-date=30 January 2022 |work=Dunfermline Press |date=4 January 2022}} Returning to Dundee United, he made his league debut for the club as a substitute against Celtic in a 1–0 Scottish Premiership defeat at Celtic Park on 29 January 2022.{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Ewan |title=Tam Courts hails Dundee United young guns as he rues late heartbreak at Celtic Park |url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/2957988/tam-courts-hails-dundee-united-young-guns-at-celtic-park/ |access-date=30 January 2022 |work=The Courier |date=29 January 2022 |location=Dundee}}
=International=
Graham played three times for the Scotland under-21 team during 2022, scoring one goal.{{SFA Profile|id=267561|name=Ross Graham}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Dundee United F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Graham, Ross}}
Category:People from Blairgowrie and Rattray
Category:Men's association football central defenders
Category:Scottish men's footballers
Category:Dundee United F.C. players
Category:Elgin City F.C. players
Category:Cove Rangers F.C. players
Category:Dunfermline Athletic F.C. players
Category:Scottish Professional Football League players
Category:Scotland men's under-21 international footballers