Born in Hemel Hempstead on 27 January 1983, Lee Grant’s story is not one of teenage prodigy turned overnight star, but rather of a lad who grafted through loans, setbacks, and injuries, only to reappear time and again, reminding everyone that he was still there, still capable, and still stubborn enough to play his part.
PART ONE
Grant’s footballing journey first took root at Watford in 1998, although he never kicked a competitive ball for the Hornets, and it was only when Derby County came calling in 2000 that he found a proper home. By September 2002, he was thrown into the first team, making his Football League debut against Burnley when Andy Oakes hobbled off, and if there were nerves, he masked them well, because that season saw him play 30 times and earn Derby’s Young Player of the Year award.
Moreover, his rise at Pride Park didn’t go unnoticed, for he was quickly integrated into the England youth set-up, rubbing shoulders with the Under-21s and even earning his first cap in September 2003 against Portugal after Chris Kirkland pulled out during the warm-up. Thus, at just 20 years old, Grant seemed destined for a future in which the national team could become his playground.
However, football careers rarely follow a straight line, and in Derby’s goalkeeping merry-go-round, where Lee Camp emerged as a rival and Stephen Bywater arrived to muddy the waters further, Grant suddenly found himself nudged backwards. Injuries—a wrist problem here, a shoulder surgery there, a fractured metatarsal for good measure—only deepened his frustration, and by the middle of the 2000s, he was no longer the Rams’ rising star but the young man waiting for fortune to smile again.
When chances dried up at Pride Park, Grant needed football, and so in November 2005 he went on loan to Burnley, where he was parachuted into the side to cover for the suspended Brian Jensen. Yet even after a bright debut against Leicester City, the loan never turned into permanence, and he found himself back at Derby by January, still without a clear path forward.
Accordingly, another loan followed in January 2006, this time to Oldham Athletic in League One, and here he finally enjoyed something like stability, making 16 appearances and establishing himself as first choice under Ronnie Moore. For a brief moment, a permanent deal seemed likely, but football politics intervened when Moore left Oldham, and Grant returned once again to Derby, no closer to resolving the question of his future.
Yet, these loans were not wasted excursions; rather, they hardened him, tested his resolve, and built the platform for the second chapter of his career, one where Sheffield Wednesday came calling.
In July 2007, Grant’s Derby contract expired, and Sheffield Wednesday swooped, offering him a fresh start and, crucially, the No. 1 shirt. At Hillsborough, he finally became what he had always wanted to be: a first-choice goalkeeper trusted to lead from the back.
Despite some rocky early form, Grant grew into his role, producing commanding displays that saved Wednesday time and again, and by the 2007–08 season he was integral in keeping them in the Championship. Indeed, his crucial save against Norwich City on the final day ensured survival, etching his name into Owls folklore.
Furthermore, his reputation soared during the Steel City derbies, none more so than the save from Billy Sharp that preserved a 2–1 win and gave Wednesday their first league double over Sheffield United in 95 years. Fans adored him, teammates trusted him, and for 136 consecutive matches, Grant was immovable.
In addition, awards followed: PFA Fans’ Championship Player of the Month, Sheffield Wednesday’s Player of the Year, and, more importantly, the respect of managers and supporters alike who recognised his consistency in a league notorious for chewing up goalkeepers.
By 2010, Burnley returned to his story, this time not as a fleeting loan but as a permanent move for around £1 million. Working again with Brian Laws, Grant stepped into Turf Moor with a point to prove, and he did just that, racking up 130 appearances and winning the supporters’ Player of the Season award in 2012–13.
Correspondingly, his reliability was now beyond question; he had matured into a goalkeeper who could handle pressure, dominate his box, and inspire those in front of him. Yet, as Burnley evolved and the Championship’s financial realities bit, Grant chose a sentimental return to Derby County in 2013, determined to bring his career full circle.
PART TWO
His second spell at Pride Park was arguably his most consistent, for he played every single minute of Derby’s 2013–14 campaign, producing big saves, penalty stops, and clean sheets that underpinned their promotion push. From clawing away Matthew Upson’s header against Brighton to denying Darius Henderson from the spot in the East Midlands derby, Grant was not just present but pivotal.
Nevertheless, Derby fell short in their pursuit of Premier League football, and while Grant remained a steady presence, the Rams never quite crossed the threshold. Still, his form earned admiration, and when Stoke City came looking in 2016, few begrudged him a shot at the top flight, even if it came in the autumn of his career.
For a man who had spent over a decade in the lower leagues, the Premier League might have felt like a dream deferred, but in August 2016, at 33, Grant finally got his chance, joining Stoke City on loan as cover for the injured Jack Butland. What followed was the stuff of late-bloomer legend.
On 24 September, he made his Premier League debut in a 1–1 draw against West Brom, and a week later he produced a masterclass at Old Trafford, frustrating Zlatan Ibrahimović and Paul Pogba with save after save to earn Stoke their first point at Manchester United since 1980. Fans loved him, teammates trusted him, and suddenly Grant was not just a stopgap but a cult hero.
Consequently, Stoke made the deal permanent in January 2017 for £1.3 million, and Grant rewarded them with 30 appearances, six clean sheets, and the club’s Player of the Year award. At 34, when most keepers are winding down, Grant was finally peaking, and while Jack Butland’s return eventually pushed him back to the bench, the season was a triumph, a validation of all those years of waiting.
Then came the twist nobody saw coming. In July 2018, Manchester United signed Lee Grant for £1.5 million, assigning him the No. 13 shirt. To the outside world, it seemed a bizarre move, but for United, it was about experience, professionalism, and having a steady hand in the goalkeeping group alongside David de Gea and Sergio Romero.
For Grant, it was surreal. He made his debut against his old club Derby in the League Cup, ironically replacing Juan Mata after Romero was sent off, and though United lost on penalties, Grant relished the moment. His only start came in a Europa League defeat to Astana, but the truth is his role was never about playing; it was about mentoring, training standards, and bringing calm to a dressing room that needed it.
And if you think being a benchwarmer at Old Trafford is a thankless job, ask Grant, who stretched his stay until 2022, signed multiple contract extensions, and left with medals, memories, and the respect of one of the biggest clubs in the world.
By May 2022, Grant hung up his gloves and immediately stepped into coaching, joining Ipswich Town’s staff to work with Kieran McKenna. His reputation as a diligent professional who read the game intelligently made him a natural fit for coaching, and for three years he absorbed the craft from the sidelines.