Grant became Cheltenham Town's club record signing when he joined the Robins from West Ham United for a £50,000 fee in January 2003. A young Northern Ireland international, Grant began his career with West Ham and had brief loan spells with Livingston in Scotland and Notts County before his first loan spell with Cheltenham Town.
He joined the Robins on a long term loan during season 2000-2001 and made a great impression with the club's supporters operating either at left-back or in midfield.
Grant made a handful of first team appearances at West Ham in 2001-2002 but found it hard to break into a star-studded squad at Upton Park despite remaining a regular inclusion in the Northern Ireland squad.
A talented player with a great left-foot and the ability to score from set plays, Grant re-joined Cheltenham on a month-to-month loan agreement in the early part of last season before being recalled by the Hammers.
Former Robins boss Bobby Gould finally captured the Belfast-born player on a two and a half year contract in January 2003. Grant won his first full international cap for Northern Ireland against Malta in October 2001 and he had made seven further appearances up to the end of the 2003-2004 season.