Danny Griffin (footballer)

Daniel Joseph Griffin (born 10 August 1977 in Belfast) is a Northern Irish retired footballer. He was primarily a defender, but could also play in midfield. He is a youth coach with his first professional club, St Johnstone.

For the American soccer player, see Danny Griffin (soccer).

Danny Griffin
Personal information
Full name Daniel Joseph Griffin[1]
Date of birth (1977-08-10) 10 August 1977
Place of birth Belfast, Northern Ireland
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Defender / Midfielder
Youth career

1994		 Wolfhill Boys Club[2]
St Andrew's Boys Club
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–2000 St Johnstone 124 (4)
2000–2004 Dundee United 77 (4)
2004–2005 Stockport County 35 (1)
2005–2006 Aberdeen 10 (0)
2006–2008 Dundee 31 (0)
2008–2009 Ross County 0 (0)
2009–2010 Livingston 37 (2)
2010–2011 Arbroath 18 (0)
Total 332 (11)
International career‡
1996–2004 Northern Ireland 29 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 May 2011
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 August 2006

Career

At age 15, he left high school in Belfast six months early to join St Johnstone.[2] He made his professional debut two years later. It was while he was with the McDiarmid Park club that Griffin made his international debut against Germany in a 1–1 draw on 29 May 1996 in Belfast and scored his first international goal in a friendly against the Republic of Ireland three years, to the day, later.

In the following months, English club Derby County offered St Johnstone £1,000,000 for their 18-year-old centre-back. Griffin was beginning to develop a good relationship with St Johnstone and he felt there was much more he could learn from Paul Sturrock,[3] so he turned down the move.[3][2] In 1996, Griffin scored an own goal, the only goal of the game, in the Scottish Challenge Cup Final loss to Stranraer.[4]

After seven years in Perth, Griffin followed manager Paul Sturrock to Tayside rivals Dundee United, for whom he would eventually become captain. Following injury problems, Griffin lost his regular place and joined English side Stockport County in 2004 as a free agent. After being released by Stockport, in December 2005 he signed for Aberdeen. Just four months later, however, he was informed that the club would not renew his contract at the end of the season.[5]

In June 2006, Griffin became one of new Dundee manager Alex Rae's first signings, agreeing a two-year contract.[6] On 8 January 2007 he left the club by mutual consent and joined Ross County a week later.[7] Griffin was released by Ross County after suffering more injuries.[8] He then joined Livingston in January 2009.[8] After winning the third division championship with Livingston, Griffin joined Arbroath in June 2010 on a one-year deal[9] where he won the third division title for a second successive season.[10]

International goals

Scores and results list Northern Ireland's goal tally first.

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
129 May 1999Dublin, Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland1–01–0Friendly match

Career statistics
ClubSeasonLeagueCupLg CupOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
St Johnstone1996–971110200041
1997–98130001100141
1998–99191403000261
1999–00301101120342
Total633607220825
Dundee United2000–01181400000221
2001–02292203100343
2002–03171000000171
2003–04130001000130
Total764604100865
Stockport County2003–04151000000151
2004–05160310020211
2005–064000001050
Total351310030412
Aberdeen2005–06100200000120
Total100200000120
Dundee2006–07240200010270
2007–0870002010100
Total310202020370
Ross County2008–096000000060
Total6000000060
Career total22181911337026012

Honours
St Johnstone
1996–97
1998–99
Livingston
2009–10
Arbroath
2010–11

References
  1. "Danny Griffin". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  2. "Danny Griffin: I’m kind of hoping I’ll be in this job until I’m struggling to walk" – The Courier, 7 July 2018
  3. "Football memories keep the Perth player in the game, Perthshire Advertiser, 13 June 2008.
  4. Danny's blasts from the past, Perthshire Advertiser.
  5. "Aberdeen duo free to leave club". BBC Sport. 26 April 2006. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  6. "Courier Sport Story". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 14 June 2006., The Courier.
  7. "County boss swoops to sign trio", BBC Sport.
  8. Griffin and Winters move to Livi, BBC Sport, 16 January 2009.
  9. Griffin Joins Lichties Deal Archived 12 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine, The Courier.
  10. "Arbroath 4–1 Montrose". BBC Sport. 23 April 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
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