Charlie Grainger

Charlie Martin Grainger (born 31 July 1996) is an English professional footballer who joined Hastings United as a goalkeeper in 2023.

Charlie Grainger
Personal information
Full name Charlie Martin Grainger[1]
Date of birth (1996-07-31) 31 July 1996[2]
Place of birth Enfield, England
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.87 m)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Hastings United
Youth career
0000–2009 Norwich City
2009–2014 Leyton Orient
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2019 Leyton Orient 26 (0)
2013–2014 → Cray Wanderers (loan) 10 (0)
2014 → Histon (loan) 5 (0)
2014 → Farnborough (loan) 8 (0)
2014 → Farnborough (loan) 3 (0)
2015 → Farnborough (loan) 1 (0)
2016 → Hampton & Richmond Borough (loan) 1 (0)
2019–2023 Dulwich Hamlet 95 (0)
2023– Hastings United 0 (0)
International career
2014 England U18 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 February 2023

Career

Born in Enfield, Greater London, Grainger joined the youth ranks of Leyton Orient from Norwich City's in 2009.[3] Due to injuries and departures, he was their substitute goalkeeper for 20 games in 2012–13 at the age of 16.[3]

On 21 February 2014, Grainger joined Conference North club Histon on a month-long work experience loan, having previously been at Cray Wanderers in the Isthmian League.[4] He made his debut the following day in the 2–1 defeat away to Hednesford Town,[5] and returned to Leyton with five appearances to his name.

On 19 May 2014, Grainger was one of three players given their first professional contracts by Leyton Orient.[6] The following season, he had three loan spells at Farnborough in the Conference South. The first began in August 2014 but Grainger was recalled in September when Orient's first-choice keeper Adam Legzdins suffered an injury. Once Legzdins had recovered, Grainger's second loan period at Farnborough began in November 2014 and was intended to continue until January 2015,[7] but he was soon recalled again by Orient. The third loan period began in late March 2015 but he made only one appearance.[8] In February 2015, his Orient contract was extended until 2017.[9]

While Orient's first-choice goalkeeper Alex Cisak was away on international duty, Grainger made his professional debut on 1 September 2015 in the first round of the Football League Trophy, a 2–1 defeat for the O's against Luton Town at Kenilworth Road, conceding a last-minute winner by Stephen O'Donnell.[10] He followed this with his Football League debut for Orient at Exeter City on 5 September. He conceded an early penalty in Orient's 4–0 defeat.[11] He kept his first senior clean sheet in the FA Cup Second Round 0–0 draw at home to Scunthorpe United on 5 December.[12]

He signed a further two-year contract with Leyton Orient on 30 June 2017.[13]

On 25 June 2019, Grainger joined National League South side Dulwich Hamlet.[14]

Grainger signed for Isthmian League Premier Division club Hastings United in 2023.[15]

International career

In February 2014, Grainger was called up to the England U18 squad to face Croatia in two friendly matches. He was an unused substitute for the first, but played the full 90 minutes of the second match, a 2–1 defeat on 5 March 2014.[16]

Personal life

He is the son of Martin Grainger, who played profession football as a defender, most significantly at Birmingham City.[3]

References
  1. "The Football League Limited: Club list of registered players as at 16th May 2015" (PDF). The Football League. 16 May 2015. p. 50. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  2. "Charlie Grainger". 11v11. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  3. Davies, Jonny (16 April 2013). "THE BIG INTERVIEW: Charlie Grainger". Leyton Orient F.C. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  4. Cottle, Robin (21 February 2014). "Orient's Grainger joins Histon on work experience". Ilford Recorder. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  5. "Hednesford Town 2-1 Histon FC". Hednesford Town F.C. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  6. Mail, Simon (19 May 2014). "Leyton Orient offer pro contract to England keeper Charlie Grainger". Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  7. "Farnborough loan in goalkeepers Grainger and Barnes". Farnborough F.C. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  8. "Orient keeper Grainger moves back to Farnborough". Guardian Series. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  9. "Grainger extends contract at Orient". Newham Recorder. 6 February 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  10. "Luton in the hat for the next round as Orient concede late on". East London Advertiser. 1 September 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  11. "Exeter City 4–0 Leyton Orient". BBC Sport. 5 September 2015.
  12. "Leyton Orient 0–0 Scunthorpe United". BBC Sport. 5 December 2015.
  13. "David Mooney: Leyton Orient sign former Southend United striker". BBC Sport. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  14. "Keeper Comes in from the Orient".
  15. "Our New Number 1". Hastings United Football Club. 2 June 2023. Archived from the original on 7 June 2023.
  16. "Déjà-vu for England U18s as they slip to Croatia defeat". The FA. 5 March 2014. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
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