Scott Griffiths Explained

Scott Griffiths
Fullname:Scott Robert Griffiths[1]
Birth Date:27 November 1985
Birth Place:Westminster, England
Position:Full-back
Youthyears1:1999–2001
Youthclubs1:Southend United
Years1:2002–2004
Clubs1:Aveley
Caps1:37
Goals1:8
Years2:2004–2010
Caps2:203
Goals2:4
Years3:2009–2010
Clubs3:Peterborough United (loan)
Caps3:9
Goals3:0
Years4:2010–2013
Caps4:11
Goals4:0
Years5:2010–2011
Clubs5:Chesterfield (loan)
Caps5:29
Goals5:0
Years6:2011
Clubs6:Crawley Town (loan)
Caps6:6
Goals6:0
Years7:2011–2012
Clubs7:Chesterfield (loan)
Caps7:3
Goals7:0
Years8:2012
Clubs8:Rotherham United (loan)
Caps8:8
Goals8:0
Years9:2012
Clubs9:Plymouth Argyle (loan)
Caps9:4
Goals9:0
Years10:2013–2016
Clubs10:Luton Town
Caps10:105
Goals10:3
Years11:2016
Clubs11:Woking (loan)
Caps11:3
Goals11:0
Nationalyears1:2006–2007
Nationalteam1:England C
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Club-Update:23:19, 23 February 2016 (UTC)

Scott Robert Griffiths (born 27 November 1985) is a retired English professional footballer who played as a full-backmost notably for Dagenham & Redbridge F.C.

He has played in the Football League for Dagenham & Redbridge, Peterborough United, Chesterfield, Crawley Town, Rotherham United, Plymouth Argyle and Luton Town. Griffiths has won three titles in his career; the Conference Premier with both Dagenham and Luton, and League Two with Chesterfield. He has been capped twice by the England C team.

Club career

Early career

Born in Westminster, Greater London,[1] Griffiths started his career playing for Basildon-based team Beech United in 1998, before signing for Southend United's youth system in 1999.[2] He left in 2001 and joined the football academy at Thurrock and Basildon College, where he played for one year.[2] Whilst playing for the academy team, they won their league and two cup competitions. He was also capped for Essex county football team, and missed out on a place in the England Under-19 team when he was injured before the final trial.

After college, aged 17, he signed for Isthmian League Division One North club Aveley.[2]

Dagenham & Redbridge

On 11 August 2004, Griffiths signed for Conference National club Dagenham & Redbridge on a three-year contract.[3] He made his debut as a 90th-minute substitute in a 4–1 away win over Forest Green Rovers on 17 August 2004.[4] He was played at left back, and went on to make 18 league appearances in 2004–05.

In 2006–07, Dagenham & Redbridge gained promotion to League Two as Conference champions, with Griffiths playing in 45 of the club's 46 league matches. He continued to feature regularly following Dagenham's promotion, playing in 41 and 44 league matches during 2007–08 and 2008–09 respectively. He made 15 appearances for Dagenham during 2009–10, before signing on loan for Championship club Peterborough United on 23 October 2009, with a view to a permanent move.[5]

Peterborough United

Griffiths signed a permanent three-and-a-half-year deal with Peterborough United on 22 January 2010.[6] He played in 20 league matches, as Peterborough were relegated to League One at the end of the season.[7]

Griffiths was not seen to have future in the squad by new manager Gary Johnson, who loaned him to Chesterfield at the beginning of 2010–11, on an initial month-long loan deal.[8] He later had his loan extended for a further two months until 6 November 2010.[9] After making 19 appearances for the club, Griffiths rejoined Chesterfield until the end of the season.[10] Griffiths made a total of 33 appearances for Chesterfield during the season, helping them to win the League Two title.[11]

Griffiths' next two seasons were characterised by short-term loan deals, as he failed to make another appearance for Peterborough. He joined League Two club Crawley Town on a one-month loan in September 2011,[12] making six appearances. Griffiths returned to Chesterfield on 25 November 2011, signing a loan deal until 2 January 2012,[13] playing in four matches. He then joined League Two club Rotherham United on loan on 10 January 2012 for the remainder of 2011–12,[14] making eight appearances.

He featured in a behind closed doors game for Forest Green Rovers in September 2012 against AFC Bournemouth, and later joined Plymouth Argyle in League Two on loan for one month.[15] [16]

Having returned to Peterborough in November 2012, Griffiths left the club at the end of January 2013 after his contract was cancelled six months early by mutual consent.[17] [18] [19]

Luton Town

Griffiths signed for Conference Premier club Luton Town on 25 March 2013, linking back up with his former Dagenham & Redbridge manager John Still.[20] He signed a short-term contract until the end of 2012–13.[20] After impressing in the six matches he played for the club, Luton tied Griffiths to a one-year contract extension.[21] He played in every league game of Luton's successful 2013–14 season as the club were crowned Conference Premier champions, with Griffiths a part of the defence that kept a club-record 23 clean sheets.[22] Griffiths played enough matches throughout the season to trigger an extension clause in his contract, keeping him at Luton until June 2015.[23]

He played in 35 league matches throughout 2014–15, earning a further year's extension to his contract in the process.[24]

Griffiths made 24 appearances in all competitions under the management of John Still and caretaker manager Andy Awford in 2015–16, before the appointment of Nathan Jones as the new Luton manager on 6 January 2016.[25]

On 30 January 2016, Griffiths joined National League club Woking on a 28-day loan.[26] On the same day, Griffiths made his Woking debut in a 2–2 draw with Barrow, in which he scored an own goal to give Barrow a 1–0 lead.[27] He made four appearances for the club in all competitions.

On 10 May 2016, it was announced that Griffiths would not have his contract renewed.[28] [29] He left the club upon the expiry of his contract.[30]

International career

Griffiths' performances for Dagenham & Redbridge led to him being called up by the England National Game XI team. He played against the Netherlands in the last of England's 2005–06 European Challenge Trophy group matches on 29 November 2006, which saw them finish top of their group with maximum points.[31] He also played in the 3–1 away defeat to Northern Ireland on 14 February 2007.[32]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Dagenham & Redbridge2004–05[33] Conference National1800020200
2005–06[34] Conference National4231060493
2006–07[35] Conference National4501020480
2007–08League Two410301030480
2008–09League Two440301030510
2009–10League Two131001010151
Total203480301702314
Peterborough United2009–10Championship200100000210
Chesterfield (loan)2010–11League Two290101020330
Crawley Town (loan)2011–12League Two6000000060
Chesterfield (loan)2011–12League One3000001040
Rotherham United (loan)2011–12League Two8000000080
Plymouth Argyle (loan)2012–13League Two4010001060
Luton Town2012–13[36] Conference Premier6060
2013–14Conference Premier4610000461
2014–15League Two352201010392
2015–16League Two180202020240
Total10534030301153
Woking (loan)2015–16National League301040
Career total3817150702504287

Honours

Dagenham & Redbridge

2006–07[1] [36]

Chesterfield

2010–11[36]

Luton Town

2013–14[36]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Barry J. . Hugman . The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11 . 2010 . Mainstream Publishing . Edinburgh . 978-1-84596-601-0 . 179.
  2. Web site: Career History . UpThePosh! . 17 February 2012.
  3. News: Daggers bring in Griffiths . BBC Sport . 11 August 2004 . 4 September 2008.
  4. News: Forest Green 1–4 Dag & Red . BBC Sport . 17 August 2004 . 4 September 2008.
  5. News: Posh snap up Dagenham defender . BBC Sport . 23 October 2009 . 23 October 2009.
  6. News: Trio pen permanent Posh deals . Sky Sports . 22 January 2010 . 10 May 2016.
  7. News: Barnsley 2–2 Peterborough . BBC Sport . 5 April 2010 . 10 May 2016.
  8. News: Griffiths signs for Spirietes . Sky Sports . 6 August 2010 . 10 May 2016.
  9. News: Scott Griffiths extends Chesterfield loan spell . BBC Sport . 3 September 2010 . 10 May 2016.
  10. News: Peterborough defender Griffiths rejoins Chesterfield . BBC Sport . 7 January 2011 . 1 May 2014.
  11. News: Chesterfield 3–1 Gillingham . BBC Sport . 7 May 2011 . 10 May 2016.
  12. News: Peterborough's Scott Griffiths joins Crawley Town on loan . BBC Sport . 8 September 2011 . 1 May 2014.
  13. News: Chesterfield bring in Scott Griffiths on loan . BBC Sport . 25 November 2011 . 1 May 2014.
  14. News: Scott Griffiths makes Rotherham United loan switch . BBC Sport . 10 January 2012 . 1 May 2014.
  15. Web site: Chris . Parsons . Scott to be there . Plymouth Argyle F.C. . 9 October 2012 . 27 August 2017.
  16. News: Peterborough's Scott Griffiths joins Plymouth Argyle on loan . BBC Sport . 9 October 2012 . 9 October 2012.
  17. News: Griffiths will return to Peterborough United . Plymouth Herald . 3 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140502045225/http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Griffiths-return-Peterborough-United/story-17222415-detail/story.html . 2 May 2014 . dead.
  18. News: Scott gone, after being out in the cold too long . Peterborough Telegraph . 29 January 2013 . 10 May 2016.
  19. News: Griffiths seeks fresh start as free agent . Western Morning News . Plymouth . 30 January 2013 . 24 September 2016.
  20. News: Luton Town sign full-back Scott Griffiths until May . BBC Sport . 25 March 2013 . 26 March 2013.
  21. News: Town tie up deals for Wall and Griffiths . Luton Today . 24 April 2013 . 24 September 2016.
  22. News: Football: 'The most remarkable season ever' – Luton Town boss John Still hails his record breakers . Bedfordshire on Sunday . Bedford . 27 April 2014 . 15 December 2016.
  23. News: Mike . Simmonds . Griffiths sets his sights on lengthy Town stay . Luton Today . 30 April 2014 . 24 September 2016.
  24. News: Scott Griffiths earns longer Luton Town deal . BBC Sport . 9 January 2015 . 14 May 2015.
  25. News: Nathan Jones: Brighton coach appointed Luton Town boss . BBC Sport . 6 January 2016 . 6 January 2016.
  26. Web site: Scott Griffiths joins on loan from Luton . Woking F.C. . 30 January 2016 . 30 January 2016.
  27. News: Woking 2–2 Barrow . BBC Sport . 30 January 2016 . 10 May 2016.
  28. Web site: Hatters release list published . Luton Town F.C. . 10 May 2016 . 27 August 2017.
  29. News: Luton Town: Jake Howells and Alex Lawless among nine released . BBC Sport . 10 May 2016 . 10 May 2016.
  30. Web site: Jake and Alex bid fond farewell to the Town . Luton Town F.C. . 30 June 2016 . 27 August 2017.
  31. Web site: Jamie . Bradbury . England take the trophy . The Football Association . 29 November 2006 . https://archive.today/20080720013150/http://www.thefa.com/England/NationalGameXI/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2006/11/EnglandNGXI_vHolland.htm . 20 July 2008 . dead.
  32. Web site: Benson's debut consolation . The Football Association . 14 February 2007 . https://archive.today/20080222083021/http://www.thefa.com/England/NationalGameXI/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2007/02/EngNGXI_vNI_report.htm . 22 February 2008 . dead.
  33. Web site: Scott Griffiths season details 2004/2005 . Dagenham & Redbridge Mad . Digital Sports Group . https://web.archive.org/web/20160412140736/http://www.dagenhamandredbridge-mad.co.uk/unknown_team_or_unattached/player/season_134/scott_griffiths_28010/index.shtml . 12 April 2016 . dead.
  34. Web site: Scott Griffiths season details 2005/2006 . Dagenham & Redbridge Mad . Digital Sports Group . https://web.archive.org/web/20160414092925/http://www.dagenhamandredbridge-mad.co.uk/unknown_team_or_unattached/player/season_135/scott_griffiths_28010/index.shtml . 14 April 2016 . dead.
  35. Book: Mike . Williams . Tony . Williams . Non-League Club Directory 2008 . 2007 . Tony Williams Publications . Kingsbridge . 978-1-869833-57-2 . 182–183.
  36. Web site: S. Griffiths . Soccerway . Perform Group . 25 April 2017.