Former Stevenage, Southend and Crewe midfielder Anthony Grant has rejoined Crawley Town following his release at the end of the 2022/23 season, according to the club’s Twitter account.
The 36-year-old has been without a club following his contract expiring with The Red Devils earlier in this summer but has now re-signed after training with the side during pre-season.
Grant worked with Crawley boss Scott Lindsey during his time at Swindon Town, where he spent three seasons and made 68 league appearances for the Wiltshire side.
The Reds’ transfer business so far this summer has mainly been targeting non-league signings with the likes of Ade Adeyemo joining from 9th tier Cray Valley United, and Harry Forster signing from Bromley. Grant and Liam Kelly – signed from Rochdale – are two of the experienced heads to join the side this summer.
Discussing the transfer, Crawley manager Scott Lindsey said:
“Granty was a key player for us at the end of last season. We weren’t in a position to offer him a contract at that time, but I wanted to make sure that I invited him back for pre-season. He came in and was great for us, and he comes with a wealth of experience, so I am delighted to have him back on board with us.”
Grant has experience of playing in the fourth tier with Southend, Swindon and Scunthorpe, however, the former Chelsea trainee has spent the majority of his career in League One. In total the midfielder has made over 500 league appearances for 12 different sides, scoring 21 goals in all competitions.
Writer’s View
Anthony Grant brings some much-needed experience to The Broadfield Stadium and should help to calm a fanbase that has spent the majority of the summer unhappy at the side’s transfer activity. The midfielder has spent his career playing across the EFL and should also help off-the-pitch with the development of some of The Reds’ less experienced signings, enabling them to transition to professional football more quickly.
This speed is key to Crawley’s season; the side have been tipped for relegation in almost every corner and will need to get some results on the board quickly if they are to prevent all-out rebellion amongst their fans. Grant’s ability to break up play and to supply the ball to Crawley’s attackers will be pivotal, and the likes of Dom Telford are likely to benefit from his arrival. It will be interesting to see whether the midfielder still has the legs to perform at this level across a 46-game season, however, his arrival should be seen as a positive one.
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