Name: Andy Griffin
Position: Right Back
Date of Birth: 17/3/1979
Nationality: English
Place of Birth: Wigan
Squad Number: 2
Nickname: Griff
Former Clubs: Newcastle, Portsmouth, Derby, Reading
Joined Stoke: 2008 (£300,000)
Griffin’s allegiance with the Potters goes back a long way. Brought through the club’s youth system, he made his full debut as a seventeen year-old in 1996 and quickly establishing himself as a key player. His classy performances earned him a glamourous move to Newcastle two years later, and he performed solidly in his six years at St. James’ Park, once scoring a screamer against Juventus in the Champions League.
He moved to Portsmouth in 2004 and made his first return to the Potteries in the autumn of 2006 when he was one of several Premier League players loaned in by Tony Pulis. The move was rather unpopular with fans, as it meant that favourite Carl Hoefkens lost his place in the side, a feeling that was exacerbated when Griffin conceded a penalty for a foolish handball in one of his first games back at Stoke.
Still, on the whole his performances were good, and when his loan, already once extended finished at the end of the season, it seemed extremely likely that he would complete a permanent move back to the club, after being released by Pompey. Instead, dishonouring a reported “gentleman’s agreement” to do so, he went for the glamour and money, joining newly promoted Derby County in the top flight. Half a season later, he realised his mistake, with Derby sinking fast Griffin wanted out. Once again, Stoke were there to pick up the pieces, with the right back signing a eyebrow raising four and a half year deal at the club, which seemed strange at the time, with many people questioning his ability to keep playing well for that length of time, and others criticising his mercenary nature, as he was all too happy to jump ship at Derby now, but had abandoned Stoke six months earlier.
As the Potters begun our first Premier League season in the summer of 2008, Griffin began as first choice right back, and actually coped better than many expected with the pace and skill of Premier League wingers, though admittedly getting caught out at times. His colourful Stoke career became even more intriguing in December though, as he was involved in the infamous on-pitch tiff with Ricardo Fuller, verbally inciting the Jamaican forward, who slapped Griffin and received a red card for it. It’s quite clear who Pulis blames for the incident, with Griffin barely playing since and Fuller kicking on to finish the season strongly as top scorer. Andy Wilkinson took Griffin’s place in the side, and with his fine displays, and the negative attitude of the fans towards Griffin, it looks very likely that he will not remain at the club much longer, although a permanent move away in the summer of 2009 did not materialise.
In January 2010, Griffin joined Championship club Reading on loan until the end of the season, and it appears that his Stoke career is over.
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