Jonathan Grounds
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Martin Grounds (born 2 February 1988) is a professional
footballer
currently playing for Chesterfield
on loan from Middlesbrough
.
system prior to the 2007–08 season
, and the club were considering releasing him that pre-season. However, he was handed a one-year contract instead. With regular left backs Andrew Taylor
and Emanuel Pogatetz
injured, he made his debut on 12 January 2008 in a 1–1 Premier League draw at home to Liverpool
. After impressing in several further appearances he was rewarded with a new two-year contract in March of that year.
On 1 September 2008, Grounds joined Norwich City
on loan for three months. He was recalled by Middlesbrough after just 31 days, however, due to a player shortage at his parent club. Grounds made 5 appearances in total for Norwich during his loan spell. On 7 January 2009, Norwich City confirmed that Grounds would be rejoining the club for a second short-term loan spell. He made a further 11 appearances for City during this period, scoring 3 goals, before returning to Middlesbrough on 7 March.
Grounds was asked to play in central defence, which he played during his stint at Norwich, by manager Gordon Strachan. On 18 June 2010 Grounds signed a contract extension with Boro that will keep him at the club until 2012.
After making only one appearance for Middlesbrough early in the 2010–11 season, Grounds was loaned to Scottish Premier League
club Hibernian
. Grounds returned to Middlesbrough in January 2011 after making 15 appearances for Hibs. He scored for his hometown club with a header against Swansea
in a match which 'Boro lost 4-3.
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
currently playing for Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
on loan from Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
.
Career
Grounds graduated from the Middlesbrough AcademyMiddlesbrough F.C. Reserves and Academy
Middlesbrough Reserves and the Middlesbrough Academy are the reserve and under-18 teams of Middlesbrough F.C. respectively.Most reserve home fixtures and all Academy home fixtures are played at Rockliffe Park, near Hurworth, though the final reserve home game of the season is usually played at the...
system prior to the 2007–08 season
Middlesbrough F.C. season 2007-08
During the 2007–08 season, Middlesbrough participated in the Premier League. The season saw them play their 4000th league game, versus Reading on 1 March 2008...
, and the club were considering releasing him that pre-season. However, he was handed a one-year contract instead. With regular left backs Andrew Taylor
Andrew Taylor (footballer born 1986)
Andrew Derek Taylor is an English footballer who plays for Cardiff City as a left wingback. He has previously played for Middlesbrough, Bradford City and Watford on loan.-Club career:Taylor was born in Hartlepool, County Durham...
and Emanuel Pogatetz
Emanuel Pogatetz
Emanuel Pogatetz is an Austrian footballer who currently plays for Hannover 96 as a defender.- Club career :Pogatetz's career started at Sturm Graz before going to Kärnten and later to Bayer Leverkusen...
injured, he made his debut on 12 January 2008 in a 1–1 Premier League draw at home to Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. After impressing in several further appearances he was rewarded with a new two-year contract in March of that year.
On 1 September 2008, Grounds joined Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
on loan for three months. He was recalled by Middlesbrough after just 31 days, however, due to a player shortage at his parent club. Grounds made 5 appearances in total for Norwich during his loan spell. On 7 January 2009, Norwich City confirmed that Grounds would be rejoining the club for a second short-term loan spell. He made a further 11 appearances for City during this period, scoring 3 goals, before returning to Middlesbrough on 7 March.
Grounds was asked to play in central defence, which he played during his stint at Norwich, by manager Gordon Strachan. On 18 June 2010 Grounds signed a contract extension with Boro that will keep him at the club until 2012.
After making only one appearance for Middlesbrough early in the 2010–11 season, Grounds was loaned to 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...
club Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
. Grounds returned to Middlesbrough in January 2011 after making 15 appearances for Hibs. He scored for his hometown club with a header against Swansea
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
in a match which 'Boro lost 4-3.