Grainger: Colin

1960-1961 (Player Details)

Outside Left

Born: Wakefield: 10-06-1933

Debut v Liverpool (a): 20-08-1960

5’91/2” 10st 12lb (1959)

Grainger, the singing winger, was a well-known crooner on the northern pub and club circuit, but he also played to thousands on Saturday afternoons for a string of clubs, including Leeds. He learned his football at Ryehill Junior and South Hindley Secondary Modern Schools in the South Elmsall area before joining Wrexham’s ground-staff in 1949, on the recommendation of his cousin Dennis Grainger who was a player there, at the time. He turned professional in October 1950. He played only five games for Wrexham before, in July 1953, he joined Sheffield United for £2,500 and it was there that he won the first of seven England caps. Few English players could boast about being on a winning side against Brazil but not only that, he scored twice on his international debut in a 4-2 win over Brazil at Wembley in the first international meeting of the two countries on 9th May 1956. He scored the second English goal to give them a 2-0 lead after just five minutes and then got the fourth in the eighty-fourth minute to seal the 4-2 victory. All, but one of his seven England Caps were gained while with Sheffield United and he was never in a losing England side. His second Cap came on 16th May 1956 at the Rasundastadion, Stockholm as England were held to a 0-0 draw by Sweden and four days later the Olympiastadion, Helsinki was the venue for his third Cap when England beat Finland 5-1. Six days later he got his fourth Cap when England defeated West Germany 3-1 at Olympiastadion, Berlin and Grainger scored his third International goal when he gave England a 2-0 lead after sixty-three minutes. He lined up with Don Revie on 6th October 1956 for his fifth Cap as England drew with Northern Ireland at Windsor Park Belfast and a 1-1 draw ensued. His sixth Cap came against Wales at Wembley on 14th November 1956 when England triumphed 3-1 after John Charles had given Wales the lead after just eight minutes. After scoring twenty-six times in eighty-eight League appearances for the Blades, Sunderland signed him in February 1957 for £7,000. He made his debut for them at Tottenham Hotspur in a 2-5 defeat on 9th February 1957. They made a handsome profit when they sold him to Leeds for £15,000 in August 1960, after he had hit the net fourteen times in one hundred and twenty League appearances and also played four F.A. Cup ties. He made his seventh and final appearance for England while with Sunderland, in a 2-1 win over Scotland at Wembley on 6th April 1957. Grainger, who was United’s record signing at the time, made his debut at Anfield on 20th August 1960 when United went down to Liverpool 0-2. He could not hit peak form at Leeds and, after having a cartilage operation towards the end of a disappointing 1960-61 season, in October 1961, he left for Port Vale for £6,000 after only thirty-three League games for a five goal return. He made a triumphant scoring debut at inside left for the Valiants, in a 4-1 home win against Torquay United on 21st October 1961 and became a regular in the team. Unfortunately, he suffered a series of injuries which restricted his appearances from February 1962, and in August 1963 he lost his place altogether. Six goals in thirty-nine League games, and two goals in ten F.A. Cup ties and failing to score in his one League Cup appearance was his contribution before, in August 1964, he moved to Doncaster Rovers. He made his debut with Rovers on 22nd August 1964 in a Division Four clash at Bradford Park Avenue in which Rovers went down by 2-5and then, three goals and forty appearances later, he moved to Macclesfield Town in June 1966. After making his debut on 20th August 1966 in a home game with Buxton he retired after just three League and one Cup appearances. He became a scout with Sheffield United and a professional singer after retiring from the game and was signed to the HMV label. Even when aged 73, he released his fourth CD, ‘You’re My World’, which featured standards such as ‘Strangers in the Night’ and ‘Feelings’. He also was a Director of a Wine and Spirit Company until he retired in 1995. He played for the Football League three times and his Cousin, Dennis Grainger, also played for Leeds. He was also the cousin of Jack Grainger, who used to play with Rotherham United, and Edwin Holliday of Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday and England.