Granville came through the youth system at Cambridge United, making 99 league appearances and scoring seven goals between 1993 and 1997. His performances earned a £300,000 move to Chelsea in March 1997. At Stamford Bridge, he initially impressed and earned England Under?21 caps, making two appearances in 1997 before establishing his reputation as a talented left-back.

His defining moment came in the 1998 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final: with Graeme Le Saux injured, Granville stepped in, starred in the victory over VfB Stuttgart, and was named among Chelsea's best performers on the pitch.

That summer, Leeds signed Granville for £1.6 million to provide competition for Ian Harte. He made his senior Leeds debut in the UEFA Cup against CS Marítimo on 29 September 1998. In the final minute of extra-time, Graham replaced David Hopkin with Granville because he wanted Granville to be among the five penalty-takers — no matter that the youngster was making his first appearance for the club and eventually scored with his first kick in a Leeds shirt. His Premier League debut followed on 3 October in a 0-1 loss to Leicester City when he came on as a second-half substitute.

His first and only full league start began disastrously at Nottingham Forest on 17 October, when he was sent off early, forcing Leeds to operate with ten men in a match they eventually lost. Over the course of the season, Granville made just seven starts and two sub outings in the league, plus three FA Cup matches.

That season Leeds finished fourth in the Premier League under David O'Leary, a period that highlighted the dominance of players like Hasselbaink, Kewell, Bowyer, and Harte. Granville was largely overshadowed and seldom trusted. Leeds' reserves were strong, and his opportunities were minimal. A fan poll ranked him as the worst Leeds player that season.

In July 1999, Granville was loaned to Manchester City for three months while Harte remained first choice at left-back. The loan led to a permanent transfer in November 1999 for £1 million. The rationale, according to Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale, was that Harte's form was unassailable, leaving Granville with no route to regular football at Leeds.

At City, Granville found more regular football. Initially on loan, then permanently signed in November 1999, he helped City achieve promotion to the Premier League in 2000/01. Over two seasons he made dozens of appearances, scoring occasionally, and serving as a consistent defensive presence. He also had a month-long loan to Norwich City in late 2000, contributing six league appearances in the First Division before returning to City.

In December 2001, Granville joined Crystal Palace for £500,000, where he enjoyed one of his most stable periods. He spent five solid years at Selhurst Park, making over 120 league appearances and scoring five goals. He was a regular in both defence and midfield, earned praise for going forward from left-back, and was even voted Player of the Year for 2004/05 by Palace supporters.

Later in his career, Granville played for Colchester United, Leyton Orient, and ended with Hemel Hempstead Town, retiring from the game in 2013 after spells in lower leagues and semi-professional football.