# Roy Gratrix
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Roy_Gratrix
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Roy_Gratrix.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Gratrix
> Source revision: 1254892713
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Roy Gratrix
| image = Roy Gratrix.jpg
| caption =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1932|2|9}}
| birth_place = [Salford](/source/City_of_Salford), England
| death_date = {{death date and age|2002|4|20|1932|2|9|df=y}}
| death_place =
| height =
| position = [Defender](/source/Defender_(association_football))
| youthyears1=
| youthclubs1=
| years1 = –1953 | years2 = 1953–1964 | years3 = 1961 | years4 = 1964–1965 | years5 = 1965 | years6 = 1965–1966 | years7 = 1966–1967 |
| clubs1 = Taylor Bros. | clubs2 = [Blackpool](/source/Blackpool_F.C.) | clubs3 = → [Toronto City](/source/Toronto_City) (loan) | clubs4 = [Manchester City](/source/Manchester_City_F.C.) | clubs5 = [Toronto City](/source/Toronto_City) | clubs6 =[Bangor City](/source/Bangor_City_F.C.) | clubs7 =[Fleetwood](/source/Fleetwood_F.C.)
| caps1 = ? | goals1 = ? | caps2 = 400 | goals2 = 0 | caps3 = 8 | goals3 = 0 | caps4 = 15 | goals4 = 0 | caps5 = 24 | goals5 = 1 | caps6 = ? | goals6 = ? | caps7 = 63 | goals7 = 0
| manageryears1=
| managerclubs1=
| nationalyears1=
| nationalteam1=
| nationalcaps1= | nationalgoals1 =
}}
'''Roy Gratrix''' (9 February 1932 – 2002) was an English professional [footballer](/source/association_football). He played as a [defender](/source/defender_(football)).
Gratrix began his professional career with [Blackpool](/source/Blackpool_F.C.) as a 20-year-old in September 1952, joining from [Manchester](/source/Manchester) side Taylor Bros. He made his debut for Blackpool on 13 March 1954, succeeding [Eddie Shimwell](/source/Eddie_Shimwell) in the right-back berth in a goalless draw against [Middlesbrough](/source/Middlesbrough_F.C.) at [Bloomfield Road](/source/Bloomfield_Road).
The following campaign, [1954–55](/source/Blackpool_F.C._season_1954-55), he retained his position, teaming-up with [Tommy Garrett](/source/Tommy_Garrett_(footballer)), although occasionally being asked to play at left-back.
In [1955–56](/source/Blackpool_F.C._season_1955-56), with [Harry Johnston](/source/Harry_Johnston_(footballer%2C_born_1919)) leaving to manage [Reading](/source/Reading_F.C.), Gratrix moved to centre-half and remained there for the rest of his career.
Also during the 1955–56 season, Gratrix represented England at "[B](/source/England_B_national_football_team)" level, playing against [Switzerland](/source/Switzerland_national_football_team) at [The Dell](/source/The_Dell_(Southampton)). England B won 4–1.[[https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/eng-b-intres-det.html England - International Results B-Team - Details] - RSSSF.com]
For the [1956–57](/source/Blackpool_F.C._season_1956-57) campaign, Gratrix was an ever-present in Blackpool's 46 league and cup fixtures, helping them to their second consecutive top-four finish in [Division One](/source/Football_League_First_Division). He repeated the feat [the following season](/source/Blackpool_F.C._season_1957-58) and also in [1961–62](/source/Blackpool_F.C._season_1961-62) (52 league and cup games).
On 19 October 1957, Gratrix had the chance to open his scoring account with the club. He took a penalty against [Manchester United](/source/Manchester_United_F.C.) at Bloomfield Road, but he put it over the bar.[{{cite book|last=Gillatt|first=Peter|title=Blackpool FC on This Day: History, Facts and Figures from Every Day of the Year |publisher=Pitch Publishing Ltd|date=30 November 2009|isbn=978-1-905411-50-4}}] He remained without a goal in his 436 games for Blackpool.[
In 1964, after eleven years and four hundred league appearances for Blackpool, Gratrix was sold to [Manchester City](/source/Manchester_City_F.C.). He made fifteen league appearances for City before trying his hand at playing in Canada with [Toronto City](/source/Toronto_City), where he finally experienced the sweet sensation of scoring a goal (away v Montreal Italica, 4 July 1965).][{{Cite book|last=Jose|first=Colin|title=On-Side - 125 Years of Soccer in Ontario|publisher=Ontario Soccer Association and Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum|year=2001|location=Vaughan, Ontario|pages=206}}] He returned to the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom) to finish his playing career with Welsh club [Bangor City](/source/Bangor_City_F.C.) and Lancashire Combination club [Fleetwood](/source/Fleetwood_F.C.), who were at that time managed by his old Blackpool teammate Jimmy Kelly.
Gratrix died in 2002.
==References==
;Specific
{{reflist}}
;General
*[http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player1/roygratrix.html Gratrix's Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database profile's statistics site]
*{{cite book | first=Roy | last=Calley| title=Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887-1992 | publisher=Breedon Books Sport | year=1992 | isbn=1-873626-07-X}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gratrix, Roy}}
Category:1932 births
Category:2002 deaths
Category:Footballers from Salford
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Blackpool F.C. players
Category:Manchester City F.C. players
Category:England men's B international footballers
Category:English Football League players
Category:English Football League representative players
Category:Men's association football central defenders
Category:Bangor City F.C. players
Category:Fleetwood Town F.C. players
Category:Toronto City players
Category:English expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in Canada
Category:English expatriate sportspeople in Canada
Category:Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League players
Category:20th-century English sportsmen
{{England-footy-defender-1930s-stub}}
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Roy Gratrix](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Gratrix) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Gratrix?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.