Player Profile: Jorge Grant

Jorge Grant started his career as a youth with Reading, and arrived at Nottm Forest after a short spell at the Nike Academy. He spent two years as a youth with Forest before earning a professional deal in 2014. He made his debut as a late sub on August 24th as Forest beat Tranmere in the League Cup, then grabbed his first goal against Spurs in the next round on his first start for Forest. Three days later, he made his Football League debut as a late sub in Forest’s 0-0 draw with Brighton.

The following season he appeared 11 times for Forest, starting twice in the Championship and once in the FA Cup. Four more starts followed at the beginning of the 2016/17 season before he was loaned to League Two side Notts County. He bagged six goals in 17 outings for the Magpies, making enough of an impression to be taken back there for the following campaign.

Shortly after penning a new three-year deal with Forest, he was back at Meadow Lane, where he eventually helped The Magpies to the League Two play-offs. He made 56 appearances for Kevin Nolan’s side, scoring 19 goals, which included a superb free-kick as Lincoln were beaten there 4-1, and a late leveller after we led 2-1 at Sincil Bank in the return fixture.

The following season Grant joined promoted Luton Town in League One, helping them on their way to the Championship. He scored four goals for the Hatters, all at Kenilworth Road, but saw his loan terminated early after 22 appearances and 13 League One starts. He was swiftly picked up by Mansfield Town as they battled for promotion at the top of League Two, and scored four times in his first five outings for them. He fell out of favour towards the end of the campaign and was only a last-gasp sub as they slipped out in the play-off semi-finals against Newport, the second time in as many years Grant had fallen at that stage.

Jorge arrived at Sincil Bank in the summer of 2019, penning a two-year deal. Then-manager Danny Cowley hinted at a deal of some sort when Grant signed, saying: “We are delighted to have signed Jorge, and thankful to Nottingham Forest for allowing it to happen, for them to trust us to take Jorge and continue his pathway. He’s been at Nottingham Forest for a long time, they trust us to create the right environment and culture for him, and if he continues to develop and realise the potential that he’s got, then everybody wins.”

He made his Imps debut on the opening day of the season, starting as we swept aside Accrington by two goals to nil. He bagged his first goal in Imps colours a couple of weeks later as we went down 2-1 at the Keepmoat to Doncaster Rovers. However, with the change of manager came a change of fortune and Grant began to drift from the first-team setup, being withdrawn at half time as we drew 1-1 with Wimbledon. However, a conversation with Michael Appleton in the days afterwards saw him given advice about working hard off the ball, which changed the course of his time with the Imps.

He scored a last-minute winner against Peterborough United on New Year’s Day which sparked jubilant scenes and signalled the beginning of a super year for Jorge. He started the 20/21 campaign as vice-captain taking the responsibility in early games following Liam Bridcutt’s early absence. He scored his first goal from open play in the 6-2 rout of Forest Green in the FA Cup, as well as netting against Accrington in the EFL Trophy and Wigan in the league. He also took responsibility for our penalties, scoring eight, and missing three. One of those misses was followed up with a goal against Charlton, whilst others came at home against Peterborough and Doncaster. In the week after the Doncaster defeat, Grant was entrusted with a penalty in the shoot-out against Hull in the EFL Trophy quarter-final, which he scored. Having missed two in the league, he then took one just days after the Hull game at Gillingham, live on Sky Sports, scoring that too.

Grant signed a new deal with the Imps in January 2021, but was injured not long after, during the 4-3 defeat at Plymouth in February. He made a comeback as the Imps beat Burton Albion 1-0 almost two months later. On his first full 90 minutes since his return, he grabbed the winner away at Shrewsbury, unusually or him a header, which all but confirmed the Imps’ play-off spot.

As well as winning the SW Player of the Month for October, he has finished second on two occasions, in December and January. In April 2021, he was named in EA Sports’ FIFA 21 TOTS for the EFL, the first Lincoln City player to be awarded the honour. On April 29, he was named in the EFL’s Team of the Season for League One.

The contract Grant signed in April had a clause that meant that any Championship club meeting his release clause would automatically be able to speak to him. If City went up, then it was null and void, and no league One club could come in for him in the event of missing out on promotion. Sadly, upon failing to earn promotion, Peterborough United met that clause and he left for an undisclosed fee in late June.

The Stacey West has also sponsored Jorge Grant’s home shirt, in conjunction with an anonymous overseas Imps supporting family, since his arrival at the club.

These profiles will evolve into a full set of squad profiles which can be found here. When a player arrives at Sincil Bank, or departs the club, we will update their profiles and move them to our former player’s pages. We will also update any major absences, injuries or events as they happen on the player’s page.