Graham Cross

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title: "Graham Cross" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["living-people", "1943-births", "english-cricketers", "leicestershire-cricketers", "cricketers-from-leicester", "english-men's-footballers", "footballers-from-leicester", "men's-association-football-defenders", "men's-association-football-midfielders", "england-men's-under-23-international-footballers", "brighton-&-hove-albion-f.c.-players", "leicester-city-f.c.-players", "chesterfield-f.c.-players", "preston-north-end-f.c.-players", "lincoln-city-f.c.-players", "english-football-league-players", "20th-century-english-sportsmen"] description: "English footballer and cricketer" topic_path: "technology/web" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Cross" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary English footballer and cricketer ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox football biography"]

Field	Value
name	Graham Cross
fullname	Graham Frederick Cross
birth_date
birth_place	Leicester, England
position	Defender, midfielder
years1	1960–1976
clubs1	Leicester City
caps1	498
goals1	29
years2	1975–1976
clubs2	→ Chesterfield (loan)
caps2	12
goals2	0
years3	1976–1977
clubs3	Brighton & Hove Albion
caps3	46
goals3	3
years4	1977–1979
clubs4	Preston North End
caps4	45
goals4	1
years5	1978–1979
clubs5	Lincoln City
caps5	19
goals5	0
totalcaps	620
totalgoals	33
nationalteam1	England U23
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| name = Graham Cross | image = | fullname = Graham Frederick Cross | height = | birth_date = | birth_place = Leicester, England | position = Defender, midfielder | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = 1960–1976 | clubs1 = Leicester City | caps1 = 498 | goals1 = 29 | years2 = 1975–1976 | clubs2 = → Chesterfield (loan) | caps2 = 12 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 1976–1977 | clubs3 = Brighton & Hove Albion | caps3 = 46 | goals3 = 3 | years4 = 1977–1979 | clubs4 = Preston North End | caps4 = 45 | goals4 = 1 | years5 = 1978–1979 | clubs5 = Lincoln City | caps5 = 19 | goals5 = 0 | totalcaps = 620 | totalgoals = 33 | nationalyears1 = | nationalteam1 = England U23 | nationalcaps1 = | nationalgoals1 = Graham Frederick Cross (born 15 November 1943) is a former professional footballer and cricketer. He is the record appearance holder for Leicester City, making 600 appearances for the club in all competitions (as Community Shield now considered a full appearance).

Football career

Cross was born in Leicester. He spent most of his career playing for Leicester City originally as an inside forward, then later as a centre-half and occasionally a right half. At Leicester he holds the record for the most appearances for the club with 600 between 1961 and 1975. He went on to join Brighton & Hove Albion and then Preston North End. He made the record number of appearances for the England Under 23 side but never made a full international appearance.

Cricket career

Cross also represented Leicestershire as a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler between 1961 and 1977. In 83 first-class matches, he scored 2,079 runs (average 18.39), highest score 78 with eight fifties and 61 catches. He took 92 wickets (average 29.95), best bowling 4/28. In 51 List A matches, he scored 701 runs (average 20.61), highest score 57 not out with three fifties and 17 catches. He took 63 wickets (average 20.23), best bowling 4/11.

Appearing irregularly because of his football commitments, Cross was nevertheless a good enough player to find a place in Ray Illingworth's successful county side of the mid '70s. He was a member of the Leicestershire team that won the Benson & Hedges Cup in 1975. Cross's last appearance came when the side was stricken by illness in May 1977. A scratch side had to be assembled to play Hampshire at Grace Road in the B&H Cup. Showing his characteristic adaptability, he kept wicket for the only time during his career.

Honours

As a player

Leicester City

• Football League Second Division: 1970–71
• Football League Cup: 1963–64; runner-up: 1964–65
• FA Charity Shield: 1971
• FA Cup runner-up: 1962–63, 1968–69

Leicestershire County Cricket Club

• Benson and Hedges Cup: 1975

Records

• Leicester City all-time leading appearance maker: 600 games
• Leicester City all-time leading appearance maker in the first tier (Premier League and predecessors): 414 games
• Leicester City all-time leading appearance maker in the FA Cup: 59 games
• Leicester City all-time leading appearance maker in the League Cup: 40 games (Joint record)

References

References

1. "Former Player Remembers: Graham Cross (Part One)".
2. "Former Player Remembers: Graham Cross (Part Two)".
3. "Middlesex v Leicestershire 1975".
4. "1971/72 Charity Shield".
5. (1977). "Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78". Brickfield Publications Ltd.
6. (1977). "Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78". Brickfield Publications Ltd.

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