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Players Index Page Last Updated
11 August 2022
 
 

Colin Grainger

Sheffield United FC, Sunderland AFC

 7 appearances, 3 goals (2 on debut)

P 7 W 5 D 2 L 0 F 18: A 7
86% successful
1956-57

 captain: none
minutes played: 601

Timeline
  Colin Grainger
Birth 10 June 1933 in Havercroft, West Yorkshire [registered in Hemsworth, September 1933]. To Daniel and Lily (née Holliday).
Attended Rhyhill Junior and Middle schools, and Felkirk Secondary School.
Marriage to Doreen Rowe on 3 January 1956, one son, Colin (b.3 July 1956), one daughter, Kim (27 February 1964).
Death 20 June 2022 in a care home in Kirklees, aged 89 years 10 days

Source

 Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &

Playing Career
Club(s) Grainger spent his youth with South Elmsall boys and was invited for a trial with Wrexham AFC in July 1949 and signed on as an apprentice. He was unsuccessfully poached by Manchester City FC in June 1950 and instead turned professional with Wrexham on his seventeenth birthday. After his appearances were limited by National Service, Grainger joined Sheffield United FC on 27 June 1953 for £2500. He left Sheffield United FC on 5 February 1957 to sign with Sunderland AFC, despite a £23,000 offer from Wolverhampton Wanderers FC. The transfer fee was £17,000 plus reserve winger, Sam Kemp. After falling out of favour with the Sunderland board, Grainger was sold to Leeds United AFC on 28 July 1960 for £15,000. However, injury issues, particularly with his knee, prevented him from claiming a regular place, and his manager, Don Revie, sold him to Port Vale FC for £6000 on 20 October 1961 ahead of Preston North End FC, but again, persistent injuries prevented him from regular appearances and at the end of his contract, he was released. He spent the 1964 summer training with his local league club, Barnsley FC. Doncaster Rovers FC picked up his signature on 7 August 1964. He was released in December 1965.
He was offered a contract by Bridlington Town FC, Wellington Town FC and Poole Town FC, but Grainger chose Macclesfield Town FC but played just four matches into the 1966-67 season for asking for a release.
After leaving professional football, Grainger was player-manager at Newmillerdam FC between 1969 and 1972, and player for Woolley Miners Welfare FC between 1972 and 1978. He scouted for Billy Bingham from 1978, then Allan Clarke, Mick Buxton and Neil Warnock.

League honours
325 appearances, 54 goals		 Wrexham AFC 1951-53 five appearances
debut (division three north): 24 February 1951 Wrexham AFC 1 Hartlepools United FC 0
Sheffield United FC 1953-57 88 appearance 26 goals
debut: 14 November 1953 Sheffield United FC 1 Charlton Athletic FC 1
Sunderland AFC 1957-60 120 appearances fourteen goals
debut: 9 February 1957 Tottenham Hotspur FC 5 Sunderland AFC 2
Leeds United AFC 1960-61 33 appearances five goals
debut (division two): 20 August 1960 Liverpool FC 2 Leeds United AFC 2
Port Vale FC 1961-64 39 appearances six goals
debut (division three): 21 October 1961 Port Vales FC 4 Torquay United FC 1
Doncaster Rovers FC 1964-65 forty appearances three goals
debut (division four): 22 August 1964 Bradford FC 5 Doncaster Rovers FC 2
final (division four): 15 October 1965 Tranmere Rovers FC 1 Doncaster Rovers FC 0
Club honours Football League Division Three North third place 1952-53 (4ᵃ);
Division Four winners 1965-66 (5)
Individual honours Football League (three appearances)
Distinctions Brother of Bernard (Burnley FC & Chesterfield FC, before switching to rugby union) and Jack (Rotherham United FC). Brother-in-law to Jim Iley (Sheffield United FC, Tottenham Hotspur FC and Nottingham Forest FC). Cousin of Jack Grainger (Barnsley FC, Southport FC) and Edwin Holliday (Middlesbrough FC and Sheffield Wednesday FC)
Height/Weight 5' 9", 10st. 12lbs [1957].

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

England Career
Player number 755th player to appear for England.
Position(s) Outside-left
First match No. 303, 9 May 1956, England 4 Brazil 2, a friendly match at Empire Stadium, Wembley Park, London, aged 22 years 334 days.
Last match No. 311, 6 April 1957, England 2 Scotland 1, a British Championship match at Empire Stadium, Wembley Park, London, aged 23 years 300 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1956-57;
Team honours British Championship winners 1956-57;
Individual honours None
Distinctions Brother of Jack (England B), cousin of Edwin Holliday (1959)

Beyond England
After leaving football he was employed as a cash register company regional manager and then represented a firm of wine merchants. Made a reputation as a professional singer. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.111.


The Numbers
parties Apps comp. apps starts substitute minutes goals ave.min captain
4 7 3 7 ▲0
▼1		 601 3 200 min two none
minutes are an approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stick to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors.
P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
7 5 2 0 18 7 +11 1 1 2.571 1 85.7 +5

Venue Record

Venue P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 3 3 0 0 9 4 +5 0 0 3.00 1.333 100.0 +3
Away 4 2 2 0 9 3 +6 1 1 2.25 0.75 75.0 +2

Shirt Record

Colour P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
White 6 4 2 0 15 6 +9 1 1 2.50 1.00 83.3 +4
Red 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2 0 0 3.00 1.00 100.0 +1

Competition Record

Competition P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
British Championship 3 2 1 0 6 3 +3 0 0 2.00 1.00 83.3 +2
Friendly 4 3 1 0 12 4 +8 1 1 3.00 1.00 87.5 +3

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1956-57 3 2 1 0 6 3 +3 0 0 2.00 1.00 83.3 +2
BC All 3 2 1 0 6 3 +3 0 0 2.00 1.00 83.3 +2

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 3 2 1 0 6 3 +3 0 0 2.00 1.00 83.3 +2
3 2 1 0 6 3 +3 0 0 2.00 1.00 83.3 +2

Match History

 Club: Sheffield United F.C. - six full appearances (601 min) 3ᵍ manager: Walter Winterbottom - seven full appearances (601 min) 3ᵍx

apps match pic match details comp res. rundown shirt

Age 22
1 303 9 May 1956 - England 4 Brazil 2
Empire Stadium, Wembley		 Fr HW 4
84 header		 11

the 755th player to appear for England.
the 29th Sheffield United player to represent England
the 140th player to score on his England debut

2 304 16 May 1956 - Sweden 0 England 0
Råsunda Fotbollstadion, Solna		 tour AD   11
3 305 20 May 1956 - Finland 1 England 5
Olympiastadion, Helsinki		 AW 82 11
4 306 26 May 1956 - West Germany 1 England 3
Olympiastadion, Berlin		 AW 63 11

Age 23
5 307 6 October 1956 - Northern Ireland 1 England 1
Windsor Park, Belfast		 BC AD   11
6 308 14 November 1956 - England 3 Wales 1
Empire Stadium, Wembley		 BC HW ▼(2-1} 61 11
  

 Club: Sunderland A.F.C. - one full appearance (90 min)  

7 311 6 April 1957 - England 2 Scotland 1
Empire Stadium, Wembley		 BC HW 63 11
  

the seventeenth Sunderland player to represent England


    

 
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