Dennis Grainger was an English professional footballer who played as a winger.

Career

Born in Barnsley

Barnsley

Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...

, Grainger began his career with South Kirby, before turning professional with Southport

Southport F.C.

Southport Football Club are an English football club, based in Southport, Merseyside. They are currently in the Conference National, and play their home matches at Haig Avenue, which has a capacity of 6,008...

 in 1938. After World War II interrupted his career

Association football during World War II

When World War II was declared in 1939, it had a negative effect on association football; competitions were suspended and players signed up to fight, resulting in the deaths of many players.-League football:-Austria:...

, he made his debut in the Football League

The Football League

The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...

 for Leeds United

Leeds United A.F.C.

Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...

 in 1946. Grainger also played in the League for Wrexham and Oldham Athletic

Oldham Athletic A.F.C.

Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...

, making a total of 138 League appearances. He later played in Wales with Bangor City

Bangor City F.C.

Bangor City Football Club are a semi-professional Welsh football club from the City of Bangor. The club compete in the Welsh Premier League, being ever present since the league was founded in 1992....

.

Personal life

His brother Jack

Jack Grainger

Jack Grainger was an English professional footballer who played as a winger.-Career:Born in Darton, Grainger made 394 appearances in the Football League for Rotherham United and Lincoln City between 1947 and 1959....

 and cousins Colin

Colin Grainger

Colin Grainger is an English former footballer. He was first cousins with fellow players Dennis Grainger, Jack Grainger and Edwin Holliday.-Club career:...

 and Edwin Holliday

Edwin Holliday

Edwin Holliday is a former English footballer who played for Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday, Hereford United, Workington and Peterborough United before retiring in 1970 due to injury. He also earned three caps for the England national team. He was first cousin to Leeds players Dennis, Colin...

were also all professional footballers.