Stephen Grant (born 14 April 1977) is a former professional footballer who now competes as a professional golfer on the NGA Pro Golf Tour. During his career he played for

Athlone Town Athlone Town Association Football Club () is an Irish football club from Athlone who are playing in the League of Ireland. The club is the oldest in the League as it was founded in 1887. First elected to the League of Ireland in 1922, they pl ...

Sunderland Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...

Shamrock Rovers Shamrock Rovers Football Club ( ga, Cumann Peile Ruagairí na Seamróige) is an Irish association football club based in Tallaght, South Dublin. The club's senior team competes in the League of Ireland Premier Division and it is the most su ...

(two stints 154 competitive appearances), Stockport County, Burnley, Finn Harps, Waterford United, Boston Bulldogs,

Galway United Galway United Football Club (Irish language, Irish: ''Cumann Peile Ghaillimh Aontaithe'') is an List of association football clubs in the Republic of Ireland, Irish association football club based in Galway. They play in the League of Ireland Fi ...

and Shelbourne. After playing for Athlone and Sunderland reserves his first taste of senior football came when Pat Byrne signed him for Rovers in October 1996. He became an instant hero by scoring on his League of Ireland debut against fierce rivals Bohemians on the 18th. After 4 goals in 22 total appearances he signed for Stockport for £300,000 in 1997. He signed back again for Rovers in the summer of 2001 and wrote himself into the history books by becoming the first Irish player to score against a Polish side in European competition when Rovers beat Odra Wodzisław in the

UEFA Intertoto Cup The UEFA Intertoto Cup (from la, Inter, 'between' + german: toto, 'betting pool'),Most precisely, from (football pool); cf. often abbreviated and more known in the German-speaking world as UI Cup and originally called the International Foot ...

in June 2003 In total he made 6 appearances in Europe for Rovers. In his last season he was Rovers top goalscorer in the

2004 League of Ireland The 2004 League of Ireland Premier Division was the 20th season of the League of Ireland Premier Division. The division was made up of 10 teams. Shelbourne were champions while Cork City finished as runners-up. Both clubs also enjoyed respectable ...

season. Grant retired from professional football at the relatively early age of 27 to concentrate on a career as a professional golfer. He played on the Challenge Tour in 2012. Grant joined the Shamrock Rovers Member Club in 2012.

Honours

* Leinster Senior Cup **

- 1997

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Grant, Stephen 1977 births Living people Republic of Ireland men's association footballers Republic of Ireland men's under-21 international footballers Republic of Ireland expatriate men's association footballers Irish expatriate sportspeople in the United States Expatriate men's footballers in England Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States Men's association football forwards Athlone Town A.F.C. players Shamrock Rovers F.C. players Finn Harps F.C. players Waterford F.C. players Galway United F.C. (1937–2011) players Shelbourne F.C. players Sunderland A.F.C. players Stockport County F.C. players Burnley F.C. players League of Ireland players English Football League players Boston Bulldogs (soccer) players Irish male golfers European Tour golfers Association footballers from County Offaly Irish expatriate sportspeople in England Sportspeople from Birr, County Offaly