[1] Grüter started his youth football with local team SK Root but he soon moved to FC Luzern.
Grüter was called into the "student selection" of the SFV (including a game in England in front of 25,000 spectators) and later played for the Swiss U-16 and U-17.
He started for FC St. Gallen, as planned, as substitute goalkeeper behind regular keeper Bruno Huwyler, who for his part was no longer undisputed.
Nevertheless, Grüter was henceforth referred to by a newspaper as an "uncertainty factor" or "fly catcher" and Jara declared he would keep a close eye on his goalkeeper.
Then in November FCSG were defeated 2–0 by Young Boys and Grüter was demoted to third goalkeeper and from then on played in the reserve team.
FC Basel's goalkeeper Remo Brügger was ruled out for a long time following a traffic accident, and because the youth goalie was injured, Grüter was brought in on loan.
During that season, under head-coach Claude Andrey, Grüter's team mates were the likes of Swiss international goalkeeper Stefan Huber, defenders Massimo Ceccaroni, Marco Walker and Samir Tabakovic, the midfielders Mario Cantaluppi, Martin Jeitziner, Admir Smajić and Ørjan Berg and the Swiss international strikers Dario Zuffi and Philippe Hertig.