Colin Grainger

Club career

Born in Havercroft, West Yorkshire, Grainger started his career with Wrexham in the Third Division North in October 1950. Despite playing just five league games under manager Peter Jackson in 1950–51, 1951–52, and 1952–53, he was snapped up Reg Freeman at Second Division champions Sheffield United in July 1953 for £2,500. He helped the "Blades" to retain their newly found First Division status in 1953–54, as they finished one place and three points above relegated Middlesbrough. They rose to 13th in 1954–55, before dropping out of the division in last place in 1955–56 under Joe Mercer, having finished two points behind the 35-point safety mark set by Aston Villa. Grainger did not stay in the second tier for long in 1956–57, and left Bramall Lane for top-flight Sunderland in February 1957 for a £7,000 fee.

He helped the "Black Cats" to narrowly avoid the drop, as they ended the season one position and three points ahead of relegated Cardiff City in long-time manager Bill Murray's last season at Wearside. However they dropped to 21st in 1957–58 under new boss Alan Brown; level on points with 20th place Portsmouth, Sunderland were relegated due to their inferior goal average. They could only finish 15th in the Second Division in 1958–59, and Grainger departed Roker Park at the end of the 1959–60 campaign. He had made a total of 124 appearances for the club. He was sold on to Jack Taylor's Second Division Leeds United for £15,000 in July 1960. He scored 6 goals in 37 games but never really impressed at Elland Road.

He signed with Port Vale when manager Norman Low paid £6,000 for his services in October 1961. His debut was a 'triumphant' one as he scored in a 4–1 win over Torquay United at Vale Park on 21 October 1961. However, he started to be plagued by injury in February 1962, and he played just eleven league games in 1961–62. He hit seven goals in 29 appearances in 1962–63, helping the "Valiants" to a third-place finish in the Third Division under new manager Freddie Steele. However, he lost his first team place by August 1963, and played just three games throughout the whole of the 1963–64 campaign. He was transferred to Doncaster Rovers in August 1964, and helped "Donny" to finish ninth in the Fourth Division in 1964–65. Despite the resignation of manager Bill Leivers, Rovers then went on to be crowned champions of the Fourth Division in 1965–66, finishing above Darlington on goal average. Grainger then departed Belle Vue to play for non-league Macclesfield Town.

International career

Grainger earned his first England cap on 9 May 1956 in a friendly with Brazil. He scored within the opening minutes with his first touch of the ball and in the 83rd minute headed in England's fourth. Of his debut against Brazil, Grainger said: "When you think of the talent in that England team, with Duncan Edwards, Billy Wright and Stanley Matthews, you delight in what might have been. We will never know how good the team could have been because Munich cheated us. But in 1956, we scored four against Brazil at Wembley and we even missed two penalties. That was how superior we were that day. Two years later, Brazil won the World Cup."

He played a further six games for the national side, the final one being less than a year later against Scotland. He played poorly and thus ended his international career.

Musical career

Grainger was also a recording artist, and was signed to the HMV label, releasing "This I Know"/"Are You" as a single in 1958. During his time as a footballer he was known as 'the singing winger' due to his vocal talent and the fact that he performed at pubs and clubs. Of his singing career, Grainger said: "I was far more nervous before a gig than before a match. In football, you're one man of 11, but in singing, you're one man of one."

Club statistics