Elliot Grandin

Grandin began his career at his hometown club, Stade Malherbe Caen. He made his debut for the first team in the 2004–05 season, making just one substitute appearance, on 28 May 2005 in a 3–2 defeat to Istres[3] as Caen were relegated from Ligue 1 to Ligue 2. In the 2005–06 season Caen finished fourth in Ligue 2, missing out on promotion to Ligue 1 on goal difference. Grandin made a total of nineteen league appearances, scoring three goals.[4]

The following season he was part of the Caen squad that finished as runners-up and won promotion to Ligue 1. He made 23 appearances, scoring twice. In the 2007–08 season he made twelve appearances, scoring one goal.[4]

He made a total of 55 league appearances for Caen, scoring six goals.

On 28 January 2008, midway through the 2007–08 season, Grandin joined Olympique de Marseille for €400,000. His debut came on 9 February in a 2–0 win at Nice. That season he made eight league appearances, most of them as a substitute. In his first match against AS Monaco in the last 16 of the Coupe de France, he made an assist for the second goal scored by Mathieu Valbuena. On 17 May, the last day of the season against Strasbourg, he came on as a substitute after an injury to striker Mamadou Niang, and sent his pass set up to Nasri to score as Marseille won 4–3 and so qualified for the preliminary round of the Champions League.

In his second season, Grandin was in the starting line-up in the first game of the season at Stade Rennais, scoring Marseilles 4th goal in stoppage time, in a 4–4 draw. On 13 August he made his European debut in the third qualifying round of the Champions League, in a single-goal victory at Norwegian side Brann.[5]

In the 2008–09 season he made a further eight appearances, scoring twice.[4] Grandin then fell out of favour into the plans of Eric Gerets and lack of playing time in Marseille. He joined fellow Ligue 1 side Grenoble Foot 38 on loan for five months on 30 January 2009.[6] He made his debut on 7 February in a goalless home draw with Valenciennes. He made a total of eight appearances before returning to Marseille at the end of the season.

On 18 August 2009, it was reported by L'Équipe that Grandin would go on trial in England with Premier League club Stoke City five days later and that Stoke had first option on the player for around €1 million.[7] After returning to France, Marseille released Grandin from his contract on 2 September.[8]

On 5 January 2010, he was reportedly in negotiations with Romanian Liga I club Rapid Bucharest, and was believed to be about to sign for the club;[9] however, on 20 January he signed an 18-month contract with Bulgarian A PFG club CSKA Sofia, after they gave him an improved offer that gave him 30% of any future sale proceeds.[10]

He made his competitive debut for CSKA on 13 March against Sportist Svoge, scoring the opening goal and providing an assist in a 4–1 win. He made a total of ten league appearances, scoring four goals in the 2009–10 season as CSKA finished second.

He played in the opening match of the 2010–11 season, a 1–0 home defeat to local rivals Levski Sofia in the first Eternal derby of the season, on 1 August.[11] Four days later he played in a 2–1 win over Northern Irish IFA Premiership side Cliftonville at Windsor Park, Belfast, in the Third qualifying round of the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League.[12] It was to be his last appearance for the Reds.

On 11 August 2010, Grandin signed for newly promoted Premier League club Blackpool on a two-year deal, with the option for a third year.[13][14] He spoke positively of manager Ian Holloway's personality and tactics.[15]

Three days after signing, he made his debut as Blackpool made their bow in the Premier League with a 4–0 win over Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium. On 12 February 2011, Grandin scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 home draw with Aston Villa.[16]

Following Blackpool's relegation to the Championship after one season, Grandin suffered an injury on his toe that kept him out for four weeks.[17] After missing 17 games through injury, Grandin made his return against Barnsley in a 3–1 win.[18] In January 2012, Grandin scored his first goals of the 2011–12 season, against Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace.

Grandin returned to his native country by signing a season-long loan deal with OGC Nice on 28 January 2012.[19] Grandin made his debut on 4 February 2012 in a 1–1 draw against Ajaccio, the first of 13 appearances in all competitions; the club did not take up the option to make his move permanent and he returned to Blackpool.[20]

In the 2012–13 season, Grandin return to Blackpool after Nice failed to sign him on a permanent basis.[21] In his second appearance of the season, on 18 September 2012, he won a penalty and converted it himself, in a 4–1 win over Middlesbrough.[22] Subsequently, though, Grandin was not included for five matches, after scoring his first goal, and trained with the club's development squad. Manager Holloway explained his reason for leaving out Grandin as being a bad attitude.[23] Grandin then stated he never wanted to leave Blackpool and loves the city of Blackpool.[24] Upon his returning to the squad, Grandin quickly scored goals in consecutive games, against Nottingham Forest[25] and Brighton & Hove Albion.[26] But the departure of Holloway led to reduced first team opportunities.

As the 2012–13 season proceeded, Grandin was an unused substitute for the remainder of the matches played. At the end of the 2012–13 season, Grandin was released by the club.[27]

In August 2013, Holloway's new club Crystal Palace signed Grandin from Blackpool on a free transfer.[28] He made his debut on 27 August, in a 2–1 defeat against Bristol City in the second round of the League Cup.[29]

In January 2014, Grandin's contract was cancelled by mutual consent, under the management of Tony Pulis, without having made a league appearance.[30]

On 6 February 2014, Grandin returned to Blackpool on a deal until the end of the 2013–14 season after leaving Crystal Palace at the end of January.[31] Following his return, Grandin said moving back to Blackpool felt like home and also that interim manager Barry Ferguson played a role of giving him a chance.[32]

Grandin re-debuted for the club, where he came on for Ángel Martínez, in the 67th minute, as Blackpool and Nottingham Forest drew 1–1 on 8 February 2014.[33] Grandin then scored his first goal for the club, as Blackpool lost 2–1 to Yeovil Town on 5 April 2014.[34]

At the end of the season, Grandin was released by the club after they decided not to offer him a new contract.[35] Following his departure from Blackpool, he was linked with a move to Championship clubs, including a return to Blackpool.[36]

After playing in Romania for Astra Giurgiu, Grandin returned to England, signing for Shrewsbury Town in League One on a short-term deal until the end of the season in February 2016.[37] He was released without making a first team appearance.[38]

Grandin then played in Cyprus for Ermis Aradippou FC before returning to France with Étoile Fréjus Saint-Raphaël of the Championnat National 2 (fourth tier) in January 2018.[39] The following year he moved to JS Saint-Pierroise of Réunion, and was part of their team on 4 January 2020 that won 2–1 away to Niort to become the second Outre-Mer club to reach the last 32 of the Coupe de France, and first since French Guianan champions ASC Le Geldar in 1989.[40]

On 31 January 2020, the last day of the 2019–20 winter transfer period, Grandin returned to England joining League Two side Grimsby Town F.C. until the end of the season to link up with former manager Ian Holloway.[41]