Jonathan Grounds

Jonathan Martin Grounds (born 27 February 1988) is an English footballer who plays for Birmingham City.
Grounds began his career with Middlesbrough, making 33 league appearances spread across five years. He also spent time on loan to Norwich City (two spells), Hibernian, Chesterfield and Yeovil Town. He left Middlesbrough in 2012 and signed for Oldham Athletic on a free transfer. After two seasons with Oldham, he signed for Birmingham City.
He plays primarily at left back, but can also play as a centre half.

Middlesbrough and loans

Grounds graduated from the Middlesbrough Academy system prior to the 2007–08 season. The club had considered releasing him, but instead gave him a one-year professional contract. With regular left backs Andrew Taylor and Emanuel Pogatetz injured, he made his debut on 12 January 2008 in a 1–1 Premier League draw at home to Liverpool. After impressing in several further appearances he was rewarded with a new two-year contract in March of that year.

On 1 September 2008, Grounds joined Championship club Norwich City on loan for three months. He was recalled by Middlesbrough after just 31 days and five appearances because of a player shortage at his parent club. On 7 January 2009, Grounds rejoined Norwich, this time for two months. During this stint at Norwich, manager Gordon Strachan asked him to play in central defence, and he made a further 11 appearances for City, scoring 3 goals, before returning to Middlesbrough.

In June 2010, Grounds extended his Boro contract for a further two years. He made one League Cup appearance early in the 2010–11 season, then joined Scottish Premier League club Hibernian on loan until the end of January 2011. He played 15 times for Hibernian, and another 6 for Middlesbrough after his return, including a 4–3 defeat at home to Swansea City in which he scored a headed goal.

Gould spent the first half of the 2011–12 season on loan to Football League One club Chesterfield, and in February 2012, he and team-mate Jonathan Franks joined League One side Yeovil Town on an initial month's loan, which was later extended to the end of the season.

Oldham Athletic

Grounds playing for Oldham Athletic in 2012

Grounds left Middlesbrough when his contract expired at the end of the 2011–12 season. He turned down an offer of a permanent move to Yeovil, before signing a two-year contract with League One club Oldham Athletic. He was nearly ever-present over his two years with the club, making 106 appearances in all competitions and scoring 3 goals. Although Oldham wanted to retain his services, he told them he intended to leave and had already had talks with other clubs.

Birmingham City

On 2 June 2014, Grounds signed a two-year contract with Championship club Birmingham City, to take effect on 1 July after his Oldham contract expired. He made his debut in the starting eleven for the opening-day defeat at Middlesbrough, and settled into the side as regular first choice at left back. With Birmingham 2–0 down against West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup, Grounds steered Lloyd Dyer's low centre past the goalkeeper in first-half stoppage time for his first goal for the club; the game finished as a 2–1 defeat. His first league goal for Birmingham, a header from a corner to draw level with Blackburn Rovers on 14 April 2015, came three days after it should have done: against Wolverhampton Wanderers, his shot had crossed the line unnoticed by the officials, was pushed back into play, and returned into goal by Rob Kiernan. He started every league match but one in the 2014–15 season, more than any other Birmingham outfielder.

As of match played 28 January 2017