James Grady is a former Scottish footballer who spent the majority of his career in the top two divisions in Scottish football

Football in Scotland

Association football is the national sport in Scotland and highly popular throughout the country. There is a long tradition of "football" games in Orkney, Lewis and southern Scotland, especially the Scottish Borders, although many of these include carrying the ball and passing by hand, and despite...

. He played as a striker

Striker

Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...

, and became player/manager for Greenock Morton

Greenock Morton F.C.

Greenock Morton Football Club are a Scottish professional football club, who currently play in the Scottish Football League First Division. The club was founded as Morton Football Club in 1874, making it one of the oldest senior Scottish clubs....

 in the First Division

Scottish Football League First Division

The Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....

 between 2009 and 2010. He is currently coaching the strikers at Morton's rivals St. Mirren

St. Mirren F.C.

St Mirren Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Paisley, Renfrewshire who play in the Scottish Premier League, having been promoted from the First Division in 2005–06.St...

 in the Scottish Premier League

Scottish Premier League

The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...

.

Grady started in the junior

Scottish Junior Football Association

The Scottish Junior Football Association is an affiliated national association of the Scottish Football Association and is the governing body for the Junior grade of football in Scotland. The term "Junior" refers to the level of football played...

 ranks with Barrhead

Barrhead

Barrhead is a town in East Renfrewshire, Scotland, southwest of Glasgow on the edge of the Gleniffer Braes. As of the 2001 census its population was 19,813....

 side Arthurlie

Arthurlie F.C.

Arthurlie Football Club are a Junior Scottish football team based in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, near Glasgow. They play at Dunterlie Park, on Carlibar Road, adjacent to Barrhead railway station. They currently play in the Stagecoach Super League, Premier Division...

, before turning senior with Clydebank

Clydebank F.C.

Clydebank Football Club are a Scottish football club based in the town of Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, near Yoker. The present club, formed in 2003, is a member of the Scottish Junior Football Association, and currently plays in West Super League Premier Division...

. After three seasons at Kilbowie

Kilbowie Park

Kilbowie Park, also known as New Kilbowie Park, was a football stadium in Clydebank, Scotland. It was the home ground of Clydebank F.C..New Kilbowie was built for Clydebank Juniors in 1939. In 1964, Clydebank merged with East Stirlingshire and entered the Scottish Football League. A record...

, Grady got a move to Dundee

Dundee F.C.

Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...

, where stayed for another three seasons. Another spell of three seasons was spent at Ayr United

Ayr United F.C.

Ayr United Football Club are a Scottish association football team based in Ayr, South Ayrshire, that plays in the First Division of the Scottish Football League. Formed in 1910 after the merger of former clubs Ayr Parkhouse F.C. and Ayr F.C...

, before a season at Partick Thistle

Partick Thistle F.C.

Partick Thistle Football Club are a professional association football club from Glasgow. Despite their name, the club are based in the Maryhill area of the city, and have not played in Partick since 1908...

.

He then played at Tannadice Park

Tannadice Park

Tannadice Park, usually referred to as Tannadice, is a football stadium located on Tannadice Street in the Scottish city of Dundee. The stadium is home of Dundee United F.C. and has a capacity of 14,209.-Early days :...

 with Dundee United

Dundee United F.C.

Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...

, for three seasons before spending a year winning the First Division title with the ill-fated Gretna

Gretna F.C.

Gretna Football Club was a Scottish football club that represented the town of Gretna, Dumfries and Galloway, close to the border between England and Scotland...

. A short spell at Hamilton Academical

Hamilton Academical F.C.

Hamilton Academical Football Club, often known as Hamilton Academical, or Accies, are a Scottish football club from Hamilton in South Lanarkshire. They were established in 1874 from the school football team at Hamilton Academy. They remain the only professional club in British football to have...

 ended with a loan spell at Morton, which was turned permanent, before he was made the player-manager after Davie Irons

Davie Irons

David John "Davie" Irons is a Scottish former professional footballer who has transitioned to football management.His playing career spanned 26 years as a central defender or midfielder...

 was removed from his post.

Playing career

Grady has played in Scotland for his entire career.

After a spell in junior football

Scottish Junior Football Association

The Scottish Junior Football Association is an affiliated national association of the Scottish Football Association and is the governing body for the Junior grade of football in Scotland. The term "Junior" refers to the level of football played...

 with Arthurlie

Arthurlie F.C.

Arthurlie Football Club are a Junior Scottish football team based in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, near Glasgow. They play at Dunterlie Park, on Carlibar Road, adjacent to Barrhead railway station. They currently play in the Stagecoach Super League, Premier Division...

, he moved to former senior outfit Clydebank

Clydebank F.C.

Clydebank Football Club are a Scottish football club based in the town of Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, near Yoker. The present club, formed in 2003, is a member of the Scottish Junior Football Association, and currently plays in West Super League Premier Division...

, who now play junior before spending three seasons with Dundee

Dundee F.C.

Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...

. A further three years were spent with Ayr United

Ayr United F.C.

Ayr United Football Club are a Scottish association football team based in Ayr, South Ayrshire, that plays in the First Division of the Scottish Football League. Formed in 1910 after the merger of former clubs Ayr Parkhouse F.C. and Ayr F.C...

, before a prolific season in the SPL

Scottish Premier League

The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...

 with Partick Thistle

Partick Thistle F.C.

Partick Thistle Football Club are a professional association football club from Glasgow. Despite their name, the club are based in the Maryhill area of the city, and have not played in Partick since 1908...

 saw him finish the top Scottish scorer with 15 goals.

An unproductive season with Dundee United

Dundee United F.C.

Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...

 followed, in which he scored just twice, but Grady rediscovered his scoring touch in 2005 with Gretna

Gretna F.C.

Gretna Football Club was a Scottish football club that represented the town of Gretna, Dumfries and Galloway, close to the border between England and Scotland...

. On 28 April 2007, he scored an injury-time winner against Ross County

Ross County F.C.

Ross County Football Club are a Scottish professional football team from the town of Dingwall, Ross and Cromarty. Founded in 1929 they currently compete in the Scottish Football League First Division and play their home matches at Victoria Park. Prior to the 1994–95 season they played in the...

 to secure Gretna's promotion to the SPL as First Division champions.

He joined Hamilton Academical

Hamilton Academical F.C.

Hamilton Academical Football Club, often known as Hamilton Academical, or Accies, are a Scottish football club from Hamilton in South Lanarkshire. They were established in 1874 from the school football team at Hamilton Academy. They remain the only professional club in British football to have...

 on 31 January 2008. Grady scored his first goal for the Accies against Queen of the South

Queen of the South F.C.

Queen of the South Football Club is a Scottish professional football club founded in 1919 and located in Dumfries. The club currently plays in the Scottish First Division, the second tier of Scottish football. They are officially nicknamed The Doonhamers, but usually referred to as Queens or QoS...

 on 1 March. His only other goal for Accies was against Clyde in a 3–1 win in the Scottish League Cup

Scottish League Cup

The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...

.

Grady joined Greenock Morton

Greenock Morton F.C.

Greenock Morton Football Club are a Scottish professional football club, who currently play in the Scottish Football League First Division. The club was founded as Morton Football Club in 1874, making it one of the oldest senior Scottish clubs....

 on an emergency loan (up to 93 days) on 17 October 2008.

Grady scored on his debut for Morton, in a 1–0 home victory over Clyde

Clyde F.C.

Clyde Football Club are a Scottish professional football team currently playing in the Third Division of the Scottish Football League. Although based for the last fifteen years in the new town of Cumbernauld, they are traditionally associated with an area that covers Rutherglen in South...

 on 18 October 2008, to give the Cappielow

Cappielow

Cappielow is a district of Greenock in Inverclyde, west central Scotland. It is home to Scottish First Division side Greenock Morton F.C. The name Cappielow, taken alone, usually refers to the Cappielow Park stadium, but it can also refer to a small area of housing or the adjoining industrial...

 club their first league victory since beating Partick Thistle on the last day of the previous season. This goal was Grady's 100th league goal of his career.

Grady was released by Hamilton on 2 January 2009, and signed a permanent deal until the end of the season at Morton.

The Daily Record

Daily Record (Scotland)

The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...

stated that Grady was offered a further contract until January 2010, via its Soccer Shorts section.

Coaching career

After the sacking of Davie Irons

Davie Irons

David John "Davie" Irons is a Scottish former professional footballer who has transitioned to football management.His playing career spanned 26 years as a central defender or midfielder...

, Grady was made caretaker manager of Greenock Morton

Greenock Morton F.C.

Greenock Morton Football Club are a Scottish professional football club, who currently play in the Scottish Football League First Division. The club was founded as Morton Football Club in 1874, making it one of the oldest senior Scottish clubs....

 alongside Allan McManus

Allan McManus

Allan William McManus is a Scottish professional footballer, currently playing for Dumbarton....

.

They were appointed permanently (this time with McManus as his assistant) on Halloween 2009.

He left Morton on 9 May 2010, after eight months in charge of the club.

Grady is now coaching at Morton's rivals, and his home town club, St. Mirren

St. Mirren F.C.

St Mirren Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Paisley, Renfrewshire who play in the Scottish Premier League, having been promoted from the First Division in 2005–06.St...

.

Ayr United

• Scottish League Cup
  Scottish League Cup
  The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
  
   Runner-up: 1

2001–02

2001-02 in Scottish football

The 2001–02 season was the 105th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Key events:Celtic, domestic treble winners a year earlier, retain their Premier League title....

Dundee United

• Scottish Cup
  Scottish Cup
  The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
  
   Runner-up: 1

2004–05

2004-05 in Scottish football

The 2004–05 season was the 108th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2004:*6 July 2004 - Nacho Novo from Dundee to Rangers, £450,000*1 July 2004 - Dado Prso from AS Monaco to Rangers, Bosman...

Gretna

• Scottish First Division: 1

2006–07

2006-07 in Scottish football

The 2006–07 season was the 110th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2006:*9 July: Rangers defender Fernando Ricksen is banned for the club's pre-season trip to South Africa, following an incident on the outbound flight. Manager Paul Le Guen cited "wholly inappropriate and...

• Scottish Second Division: 1

2005–06

2005-06 in Scottish football

The 2005–06 season was the 109th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2005:*1 June: Gordon Strachan officially takes charge of Celtic after the resignation of Martin O'Neill...

• Scottish Cup
  Scottish Cup
  The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
  
   Runner-up: 1

2005–06

2005-06 in Scottish football

The 2005–06 season was the 109th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2005:*1 June: Gordon Strachan officially takes charge of Celtic after the resignation of Martin O'Neill...

Hamilton Academical

• Scottish First Division: 1

2007–08

Scottish First Division 2007-08

The 2007–08 First Division season was the thirteenth season of the First Division in its current format of ten teams.The team which finished first were automatically promoted to the Scottish Premier League...

See also

• Dundee United F.C. season 2004-05
• Greenock Morton F.C. season 2008-09
  Greenock Morton F.C. season 2008-09
  Season 2008-09 saw Greenock Morton compete in their second consecutive season in the First Division. They finished sixth in the league, a rise from the previous season's avoidance of the relegation play-off by one goal.-In:-Out:...
  
   | 09-10