Elliot Grandin

Elliot Grandin (born 17 October 1987) is a French footballer of Congolese origin who currently plays for Blackpool.

A winger, Grandin can also play as a central attacking midfielder. He previously played in France for SM Caen, Olympique de Marseille and a loan spell at Grenoble, as well as in Bulgaria for CSKA Sofia.

He has played for France at under-21 level.

Club career

SM Caen

Grandin began his career at his hometown club, SM 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 58 league appearances for Caen, scoring nine goals.

Olympique de Marseille

On 28 January 2008, midway through the 2007–08 season, Grandin joined 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.

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 €1m.^[6] After returning to France, Marseille released Grandin from his contract on 2 September.^[7]

Grenoble Foot 38

Grandin joined fellow Ligue 1 side Grenoble Foot 38 on loan for five months on 30 January 2009.^[8] 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.

CSKA Sofia

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.

Blackpool

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]

Five months on from his arrival at Blackpool, Grandin recalling his first meeting with manager Ian Holloway – the sound of revelation and revealed Hollway rescued his promising career after a few wrong turns."I was surprised [by him]. thought, 'England's like this? He's mad, he likes to joke around, but he can be very serious too, He's someone who's very close to his players and he's very protective of us. We're a real group. It's not a case of him being apart from the players – we're all together. He's a n individual, a bit crazy, but in a good way, He brings a lot of positivity into training, and it's great for us as players to have a coach like that. We always knew what we could do. We have a very strong team ethic. It's not going to be easy, because the other teams know us now. But we have to stick to our values; scoring goals, pushing forward instead of sitting back. We're always to going to keep attacking. It's not a good way to play, Above all, in football, you have to score goals, take risks. If you lose playing like that, at least you've given everything you can. Ian Holloway wants us to pass the ball, and his vision of how football should be played is the same as mine. He's been very important for me. I'm lucky to have fallen into working under a coach like him. He's been very important for me. I'm lucky to have fallen into working under a coach like him. Bulgaria wasn't easy but it was something I needed – to go far away, to be open to new ideas and it did me good. I was able to concentrate on my football away from France. It's thanks to my time in Bulgaria that I've ended up in the Premier League. They are a direct rival for staying up. We've learned a lot in the first part of the season. We've conceded quite a few goals towards the end of matches – for most of the players in our squad it's their first season in the Premier League, so with experience, we'll get better at finishing games."^[15]

Three days later 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. "The goal is good for me and my confidence and I'm very happy for my family and friends as well," he told Blackpool's official website after the game.^[16] "I hope to score a lot of goals for Blackpool."

Following Blackpool's relegation to the Championship after one season, Grandin suffered an injury on his toe that keeps 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.

In the 2012-13 season, Grandin return to Blackpool after Nice failed to sign him on a permanent basis.^[19] In his second appearance of the season, on 18 September 2012, Grandin won the penalty and convert the penalty for himself, in a 4-1 win over Middlesbrough.^[20] But since then, Grandin wasn't included for five matches since scoring his first goal and forced to train with the club’s Development Squad. Manager Halloway explained his decision on leaving out Grandin, that his bad attitude is the reason he wasn't picked.^[21] Grandin then stated he never wanted to leave Blackpool and loves the city of Blackpool.^[22] Upon his returning from the squad, Grandin quickly scored two goals in two consecutive games, against Nottingham Forest^[23] and Brighton & Hove Albion.^[24] But the departure of Holloway led his playing in the first team more reduced

In January 2013, during his time at Blackpool, Grandin converted to Islam and wedded his Algerian Muslim girlfriend.

As the 2012-13 season goes by, newly Manager Paul Ince criticised Grandin for wasting his talent^[25] and since 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^[26]

OGC Nice (loan)

Grandin returned to his native land by signing a season-long loan deal with Nice on 28 January 2012.^[27] Grandin made his debut, on 4 February 2012, in a 1-1 draw against Ajaccio. Later in the 2011-12 aeason, Grandin made thirteen appearance in all competitions.

At the end of the 2011-12 season, the club unsuccessfully made his move permanent and return to Blackpool.^[19]

Crystal Palace

On 2 August 2013, Crystal Palace announced they had 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]

On 29 January 2014, Grandin's contract at Crystal Palace was cancelled by mutual consent.^[30]

Blackpool return

On 6 February 2014, Grandin returned to Blackpool on a deal until the end of the 2013–14 season after leaving Crystal Palace by mutual consent at the end of January.^[31]

Club career statistics

As of 12 February 2011

International career

In 2005 Grandin was part of the French youth squad that won the UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup in Turkey. He made three appearances, scoring one goal for France under-21's in 2008.

Honours

French youth team

• UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup winner 2005

SM Caen

• Ligue 2 runner-up: 2006–07

References

External links

• Elliot Grandin profile at blackpoolfc.co.uk
• Elliot Grandin career stats at Soccerbase
• Elliot Grandin profile at soccerway.com
• Elliot Grandin profile at uefa.com
• Elliot Grandin profile at L'Equipe.fr (French)
• Elliot Grandin French league stats at LFP.fr (French)