Nicky Grant


Nichola Anne "Nicky" Grant is a Scottish female international footballer, who plays as a midfielder. She currently plays in the Scottish Women's Premier League for Forfar Farmington, having previously played in England for Arsenal and Doncaster Rovers Belles as well as in Iceland, Germany and Sweden. Grant amassed over 90 appearances for the Scotland women's national football team.

Club career

Born in Aberdeen and brought up in Elgin, Grant first came to prominence as a member of a successful Cove Rangers team. She scored twice in the 1996 Scottish Women's Cup final as Cove beat Aberdeen 5–1 at McDiarmid Park. After switching to Cumbernauld United, Grant won a domestic treble in 1997–98.
In the 2000 Scottish Women's Cup final, Grant scored four goals in Stenhousemuir's 9–0 win over Clyde.
Grant spent the 2001 summer season in Iceland with ÍBV and scored three goals in ten Úrvalsdeild appearances. She then collected an FA Women's Premier League winners medal with Arsenal Ladies in 2002, but did not wish to move to London long term. In 2003 Grant joined Frauen Bundesliga champions 1. FFC Frankfurt as a full–time professional. She did not remain long in Germany due to injuries and returned to Scotland to work as a teacher while playing for Kilmarnock.
In January 2005, Grant rejected an approach from Sunderland in favour of Doncaster Rovers Belles. Grant helped Doncaster avoid relegation by scoring the second goal in a vital 2–0 win over Bristol City, but she was sent off for removing her shirt in celebration.
In summer 2007 she joined Swedish Damallsvenskan club QBIK at the invitation of international teammate Ifeoma Dieke.
After a spell at Hamilton Academical, Grant signed for Celtic in 2011. She returned to Accies during the Scottish Women's Premier League mid–season break. Grant signed for Forfar Farmington ahead of the 2012 season, after moving to the Angus area for work reasons.

International career

Grant made her senior debut for Scotland against Italy in October 1993. The Scots were beaten 4–0 in the 1995 UEFA Women's Championship qualification match hosted in Senigallia.
In summer 2003 Grant had a disagreement with the Scotland management team and spent a year out of the national team. She was recalled in July 2004 after her Kilmarnock Ladies manager Jim Chapman interceded.

Personal life

Grant's brother Graeme is also a footballer, who played with Buckie Thistle and Forres Mechanics in the Highland Football League, as well as spending 2002–03 with Elgin City in the Scottish Football League Third Division.
As of 2019, she was the head teacher of Alness Academy having been appointed at the end of the previous year. She had previously held senior roles at schools in Aberdeenshire and Moray.