Hero Grant vows his future lies with Town

Fleetwood forward Bobby Grant, whose sensational strike in the 2-0 win over Crewe helped Town clinch survival, and he says his future lies at the club.
Fleetwood Town's Bobby Grant celebrates scoring his team's opening goal by knocking over Manager Steven PressleyFleetwood Town's Bobby Grant celebrates scoring his team's opening goal by knocking over Manager Steven Pressley
Fleetwood Town's Bobby Grant celebrates scoring his team's opening goal by knocking over Manager Steven Pressley

Grant says he will be staying at Highbury and seeing out his two-year contract, and the club’s top scorer is aiming to beat this season’s 11-goal tally next term.

And the attacker thanked the fans for their support this season.

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He said: “To be honest with you, I do (see my future at the club). I love the club.

“I’d like to thank the fans because over the last few weeks, and all season, they have been absolutely superb with me.

“When you hear your name being chanted when you get dropped on Monday (for the 3-1 defeat at Walsall), it gives you a buzz and I’d like to thank them personally.

“I will be back here next year, and I’ve said to the chairman (Andy Pilley) that as long as they want me here I’m happy to stay. I will be disappointed if I don’t beat my score tally next year.”

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Grant may be targeting more goals but he wants to remind people that he is not an out and out striker but an attacking midfielder.

The 25-year-old said: “It was about staying up but it is always good to score goals, and that is what I’ve been brought here to do as well as to get assists.

“I think people forget I’m not a striker – I’m more of an attacking midfield player. But it is my job to come here and score goals.”

And Grant says Town need to draw a line under this season, move on and improve after retaining their League One status on the final day of the campaign with a victory which also relegated his former club Blackpool.

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He said: “I had a lot of time and I just concentrated on connecting with it well. Lucky for me, it has flown into the net.

“With the group of players we have, we should definitely be higher up the table. There is no question of that but that is football.

“When you do come unstuck and are losing games you should be winning, it is hard to gain that momentum.

“I think we all as a club need to draw a line under this season. We have stayed in the division and I think that is massive for the club. Now we need to push on and improve.

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“I think the chairman deserves massive credit for what he has done for the club, with all the facilities.

“That (performance on Sunday) was for him because he deserves that.”

Grant says that he is a team player and that his emotional celebration on opening the scoring on Sunday – he ran to the sidelines and jumped on manager Steven Pressley – shows just how much the club means to him.

He continued : “I’ve said all along I am part of the team here.

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“I have never once gone out of the way to make it about myself. That was the conversation I had with the manager.

“It has never been about me. It has been about the team and I have always put the team first.

“I think that when I scored the goal against Crewe all came out. I want to score for the team. I would rather not score and see the team win than score and not win.

That is the type of lad I am and is the way I will always be.

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“It has been a long season, full of ups and downs for myself personally, but I think the celebration sums it up.

“We have stuck together, as a team, as a club, as a staff and I think it is well deserved.”

Pressley had criticised Grant after last month’s goalless draw with Blackpool, insisting it was “not the Bobby Grant show”, though he had nothing but praise for the goalscorer in yesterday’s Gazette.

Grant admits their personalities clash at times but says that is because they are both passionate about the club and are working towards the same goal.

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Pressley says they have a “love-hate relationship” and Grant agrees. He said: “We do . It is two guys who care and that is the way it is going to be.

“It is two personalities that will clash at times but we are pushing in the right direction and we all want to do well.

“We have quite fiery personalities but know when to say sorry and when to take it on the chin.”