Roddy Grant

Name: Roddy Grant

DOB: 16/09/1966

POB: Gloucester

Position: Striker

Clubs: Cowdenbeath, St. Johnstone, Dunfermline Athletic,
Partick Thistle, Ayr United, Brechin City, Peterhead.

International caps: 0

Despite being born in Gloucester in 1966, Grant played his
entire career in Scotland. He began his playing career with Cowdenbeath in
1986, taking the honour of being their top goalscorer in each of his first two
seasons with the club. He spent another year with Cowden before moving on to
St. Johnstone, joining the club for their first season at McDiarmid Park.

The move proved beneficial for both Grant and the club, as
he finished the side’s top scorer and they won the title and with it promotion
back to the Scottish Premier Division. Indeed Grant scored the goal that
effectively sealed their promotion, the second in a 3-1 win over Airdrie at
their new home. Their return to the top flight went well, earning a 7th place
finish and a place in the Scottish Cup semi final (where they lost to Dundee
United) followed by an 8th place finish in the 1991-92 season.

That summer, however, Alex Totten was replaced as manager by
John McClelland, and Grant also found himself on the move. He dropped back down
to the First Division with Dunfermline, but scored only four goals in his 32
appearances. The Pars missed out on promotion to the Premier Division and Grant
moved on again, this time to Partick Thistle.

In both Grant’s seasons at Firhill, Partick just escaped
relegation from the top flight, in 1993-94 at the expense of his old side, St.
Johnstone. His time in Glasgow was more successful than at East End Park as he
scored 18 goals in 60 games, but in 1995 he moved back to Perth and the club
for which his career is best known.

His second spell at McDiarmid Park lasted for five years and
saw him twice finish as the club’s top scorer (in 1996-97 and 1998-99) and win
the First Division title for a second time. In 1998-99, under manager Sandy
Clark, St. Johnstone finished third in the newly formed Scottish Premier
League. During that season they also reached the final of the League Cup, in
which they lost 2-1 to Rangers at Celtic Park, and the semi final of the
Scottish Cup.

Grant spent time on loan at Ayr United in the 1999-2000
season, scoring just twice before that summer ending his time at St. Johnstone
with a move to Brechin. In his first season at Glebe Park he was the club’s top
scorer, netting 22 times in all, and over the three years he spent at the club
he recorded his best goal ratio, with 40 goals in 84 games. His career came to
an end with a year at Peterhead in 2003-04, though he played just seven times
and failed to score before finally hanging up his boots at the age of 37.

Where is he now? After a spells as assistant manager at
Pumpherston and Stirling Albion, as well as a coaching role at the latter,
Grant was named as administrator for the Super Saints Lotto at St. Johnstone in
2011, taking him from his position at Perth & Kinross Council. Finally, in
July 2012, he took up his current role as an associate director at the club.

Show: The Terrace is the SPL’s Guardian Podcast