Brian Grundy - Player Profile

Brian was born in Atherton on Wednesday, 9th May 1945 and was to start his football career with Bolton Wanderers where a broken leg at 17 saw him released. He began studying at Edge Hill training college, Ormskirk to become a schoolteacher.

Brian was to join Johny Ball's Wigan Athletic on a part-time basis aged 18 making his debut on Saturday, 7th March 1964 in a home Cheshire League game against Oswestry Town (2-3) in front of just 899 fans.

He scored his first goal in a 3-0 home win over Sankeys of Wellington in the final league game of that season (crowd 1,657). New player/manager Allan Brown also scored in that game along with club legend Harry Lyon.

Brian's fine turn of speed and strong shot was a great addition to the team and he helped Latics to win the Cheshire League title in season 1964/65 by 5 points from Macclesfield.

He played in FA Cup games against Stockport County and Tranmere Rovers and against Manchester City in the Official Opening of the Floodlights with 10,119 watching.

Brian played in the Liverpool Non-Lge Senior Cup Final win at Skelmersdale United (2-0).

In November 1967 he played against Bury in a Lancashire Senior Cup tie and replay and impressed Bury manager Les Shannon to the extent that he was signed the following week for £3,000. Brian had played 112 (72 lge) games for Latics and scored 14 (8 lge) goals.

Brian had qualified as a schoolteacher and was a teacher at Prestwich Heys Secondary School until he went full-time with Bury in January 1968. He was part of their side that won promotion from Division Four that season. He was to play 107 (99 lge) games for the Shakers scoring 10 lge goals.

He then joined Great Harwood in July 1971 before having spells with Bangor City, Morecambe and Lancaster City. He returned to Ian McNeill's Wigan Athletic on a month's trial in September 1977 and made his second debut in a 3-1 defeat at Scarborough in the NPL. His last appearance of four games was in a goalless draw at Bangor City on Wednesday, 28th September.

Brian was then to join Northwich Victoria before moving to Winsford United in May 1978. He was transferred to Mossley for a fee of £100 in March 1979. He helped Mossley secure their first Northern Premier League title in season 1978/79 as they won the title by eight points from Altrincham. Brian also played in their 4-1 NPL Cup Final win over Northwich Victoria at Maine Road.

In 1980, Brian took over as manager of Glossop North End and spent three years there before taking over by popular choice as manager of former club Mossley in December 1983. While manager at both clubs, Brian was also the landlord of a pub in Glossop.

He later emigrated to Spain and lived there for around ten years where he met his wife Janette. On their return, they lived in Somerset before moving to the Lake District and finally Horwich. The last few years saw Brian undergo a quadruple heart bypass in November 2019 and recently he had been battling vascular dementia.

Brian passed away peacefully at his home in Horwich on Friday, 23rd February 2024.