1. Early life
1.1. Birth and background
Alexander Ian Grant was born on January 23, 1994. Although he was born in England, he later chose to represent Australia internationally at the youth level.
2. Club career
Alexander Grant's club career spans several countries, beginning in England before moving to Australia, South Korea, and China. This section details his professional journey across these clubs, including loan spells and key contributions.
2.1. Portsmouth
Grant signed a two-year scholarship with Portsmouth in July 2010, progressing through their reserve and academy teams. He made his first appearance on the bench for the senior team against Nottingham Forest on April 28, 2012. His professional debut came in the following season on August 14, 2012, when he started a Football League Cup match against Plymouth Argyle.
Later, on December 20, he was loaned to Eastleigh for one month, making his debut on New Year's Day against Salisbury City. On January 24, 2013, he moved to Havant & Waterlooville on another one-month loan, serving as a replacement for fellow Portsmouth player Dan Butler. He debuted for Havant & Waterlooville two days later in a 0-0 away draw against Dorchester Town and scored his first goal for the club on April 16 against Dover Athletic. Despite his successful loan periods, Grant was released by Portsmouth on May 9.
2.2. Stoke City
Following his release from Portsmouth, Grant signed with Stoke City, with the club reportedly fending off competition from Everton for his signature. On August 30, 2014, Grant was loaned to Macclesfield Town. He scored his first goal for Macclesfield Town in an FA Cup tie against Wrexham. At the end of the 2014-15 season, Grant was released by Stoke City.
2.3. Perth Glory
In June 2015, Grant returned to Australia and joined A-League side Perth Glory. He remained with the club for several seasons, becoming an important part of their squad.
2.4. Pohang Steelers
In December 2020, with three seasons remaining on his contract with Perth Glory, Grant transferred to Pohang Steelers in South Korea's K League 1 for an undisclosed fee. During his time with Pohang, he contributed significantly to their success, playing a crucial role in the team's defense.
2.5. Tianjin Jinmen Tiger
On February 1, 2024, Grant transferred to Chinese Super League club Tianjin Jinmen Tiger.
2.6. Sydney FC
Grant is currently playing as a defender for A-League club Sydney FC.
3. International career
Despite being born in England, Alexander Grant was called up to play for the Australia U17 squad. He was named to the provisional 35-man squad for the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
4. Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Portsmouth | 2012-13 | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | ||
| Eastleigh (loan) | 2012-13 | Conference South | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | ||
| Havant & Waterlooville (loan) | 2012-13 | Conference South | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 18 | 1 | ||
| Stoke City | 2014-15 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | ||
| Macclesfield Town (loan) | 2014-15 | Conference Premier | 25 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | 28 | 3 | |
| Perth Glory | 2015-16 | A-League | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 23 | 1 | |||
| 2016-17 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 11 | 1 | |||||
| 2017-18 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 21 | 0 | |||||
| 2018-19 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 12 | 0 | |||||
| 2019-20 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | - | 24 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 86 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 91 | 3 | ||
| Pohang Steelers | 2021 | K League 1 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | 9 | 1 | - | 25 | 3 | ||
| 2022 | 27 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | 29 | 2 | |||||
| 2023 | 32 | 4 | 2 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | - | 38 | 4 | ||||
| Total | 75 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 92 | 9 | ||
| Tianjin Jinmen Tiger | 2024 | Chinese Super League | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 205 | 14 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 231 | 16 | ||
5. Honours and achievements
Alexander Grant has accumulated several significant team and individual honors throughout his professional career.
5.1. Club achievements
Grant has achieved the following with his clubs:
- Perth Glory
- A-League Premiership: 2018-19
- FFA Cup: Runner-up (2015)
- A-League: Runner-up (2018-19), Semifinals (2016-17, 2019-20)
- Pohang Steelers
- AFC Champions League: Runner-up (2021)
- FA Cup: Winner (2023)
- K League 1: Runner-up (2023), 3rd Place (2022)
5.2. Individual achievements
Grant's individual accolades include:
- K League 1 Best XI: 2023