Andy Griffin

32

Andy Griffin : biography

7 March 1979 –

On 31 July 2007 Griffin signed for Premier League side Derby County on a three-year deal. He was initially Derby’s first choice right back, but when Tyrone Mears returned from injury and Paul Jewell replaced Billy Davies as Derby manager, he found his chances in the first team restricted. With Derby enduring a terrible 2007–08 season heading for an embarrassing relegation, Griffin was given permission to talk to Stoke City.

Return to Stoke City

On 11 January 2008 Griffin moved back to Stoke City for a fee of £300,000, signing a 4 and a half-year contract. In January 2008, Stoke sold captain John Eustace to Watford. This move saw Griffin named Stoke’s new captain despite only being back at the club for three weeks, nonetheless Griffin was delighted describing it as a "proud moment in my career." He was controversially sent-off against Queens Park Rangers on 2 March 2008 as Stoke fell to a 3–0 defeat. Stoke were successful in their appeal. In a match against Watford former team-mate John Eustace was sent-off and Griffin branded the Referee’s decision as "Pathetic". Griffin missed the final two matches of Stoke’s promotion winning 2007–08 campaign due to a torn hamstring. After the season ended Griffin admitted he made the wrong decision to join Derby rather than Stoke in the summer of 2007.

Griffin began the 2008–09 season as first choice right back this was until he was involved in an on pitch altercation with striker Ricardo Fuller away at West Ham United on 28 December 2008 which saw Fuller sent-off. Afterwards the pair publicly apologised for the incident. However Griffin lost his place in the side and Abdoulaye Faye took over as captain for the remainder of the season. He found himself out of the first team in 2009–10 but he did manage to scored a dramatic 96th minute winner in a 4–3 victory over Blackpool in the League Cup.

Reading

On 11 January 2010, he joined Reading on loan for the remainder of the season. He was instrumental in solidifying Reading’s back line in the second half of the 2009–10 season which saw Reading rise from the relegation zone at the beginning of January to 9th place by the end of the season. Griffin signed on a permanent 2-year deal on 1 July 2010 for an undisclosed fee. On 2 May 2012, after Reading had won promotion to the Premier League and with Griffin having made only 9 league appearances in the 2011–12 season, the club announced it would not be renewing Griffin’s contract.

Doncaster Rovers

On 22 October 2012 Griffin joined Doncaster Rovers on a non-contract basis.

Career statistics

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Stoke City 1996–97 First Division 34 1 1 0 1 0 36 1
1997–98 First Division 23 1 1 0 4 0 28 1
Total 57 2 2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 64 2
Newcastle United 1997–98 Premier League 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
1998–99 Premier League 14 0 3 0 1 0 1 0 19 0
1999–2000 Premier League 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1
2000–01 Premier League 19 0 2 0 4 0 25 0
2001–02 Premier League 4 0 0 0 1 0 5 0
2002–03 Premier League 27 1 1 0 1 0 11 1 40 2
2003–04 Premier League 5 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 8 0
Total 76 2 6 0 8 0 14 1 0 0 104 3
Portsmouth 2004–05 Premier League 22 0 1 0 4 0 27 0
2005–06 Premier League 21 0 0 0 0 0 21 0
2006–07 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 43 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 48 0
Stoke City (loan) 2006–07 Championship 33 2 1 0 0 0 34 2
Total 33 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 34 2
Derby County 2007–08 Premier League 15 0 0 0 0 0 15 0
Total 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 0
Stoke City 2007–08 Championship 15 0 0 0 0 0 15 0
2008–09 Premier League 20 0 0 0 1 0 21 0
2009–10 Premier League 0 0 0 0 3 1 3 1
Total 35 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 39 1
Reading 2009–10 Championship 21 0 4 0 0 0 25 0
2010–11 Championship 33 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 38 0
2011–12 Championship 9 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 9 0
Total 63 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 72 0
Doncaster Rovers 2012–13 League One 16 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 18 0
Total 16 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 18 0
Career total 338 6 16 0 22 1 14 1 4 0 394 8
A.  The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Football League play-offs.

Honours

Club

Newcastle United
  • FA Cup runner-up: 1998–99
Stoke City
  • Football League Championship runner-up: 2007–08
Reading
  • Football League Championship champions: 2011–12
Doncaster Rovers
  • Football League One champions: 2012–13

Individual

  • Stoke City player of the year: 1997