Leigh Griffiths
Encyclopedia
Leigh Griffiths is a Scottish
footballer who plays as a striker. He is currently on loan at Scottish Premier League
side Hibernian
from English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers
.
Griffiths started his career at Livingston
where he made his debut as a sixteen year old. He then moved to Dundee
in 2009 for £125,000. During his five years in the Scottish First Division he earned six player of the month awards. In 2011 with Dundee in financial trouble, he moved to Wolves for around £150,000.
as a sixteen-year-old, after coming on as an 82nd minute substitute during a 3–1 defeat to Airdrie United
on 30 December 2006. He went on trial at Premier League team West Bromwich Albion
in April 2009 and impressed enough to warrant a move. However, Tony Mowbray
's departure as manager saw Griffiths' chance of a move ended.
rivals Dundee
, despite having an offer rejected for the player back in April. Griffiths later revealed that he had rejected contract talks with Hearts
, citing his belief he would benefit from more first team football at Dundee and Hearts' then defensive playing style as the reasons. In 2009-10 he scored 3 goals to help Dundee win the Scottish Challenge Cup. In January 2011 Livingston
claimed that they have yet to receive payment from Dundee. Dundee denied the claim but it raised doubt over the future transfer of the player at the time. Griffiths became a fans favourite during his spell at Dundee and scored 34 goals in 62 appearances, which included a memorable 30 yard free kick in the Scottish Cup
against Rangers
.
on a two-and-a-half year contract for an undisclosed fee (believed to be £150,000), after he successfully completed a two week trial.
He was an unused substitute against Tottenham
in March 2011, but has yet to feature in a league fixture for the club, or be part of any matchday squads since. To date, his only Wolves appearance was on 23 August 2011, when he came on as a substitute in a League Cup
tie at Northampton Town
.
To gain playing time, he moved on loan in August 2011 to Scottish Premier League
club Hibernian
until 9 January.
side that played Northern Ireland B
at the end of the 2008–09 season, and he scored the third goal in a 3–0 win. He was a regular for Scotland at Under 19 level
, and has since been selected to play for the Under 21 team
. His first goal for Scotland U21 was on his second call up on 2 March 2010 where he equalised against Azerbaijan after being brought on as a substitution just a minute earlier.
Individual
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
footballer who plays as a striker. He is currently on loan at Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
side Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
from English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
.
Griffiths started his career at Livingston
Livingston F.C.
Livingston Football Club is a Scottish association football club based in Livingston, West Lothian. The club currently plays in the Scottish Football League First Division.The club was founded in 1943 as Ferranti Thistle, a works team...
where he made his debut as a sixteen year old. He then moved to Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
in 2009 for £125,000. During his five years in the Scottish First Division he earned six player of the month awards. In 2011 with Dundee in financial trouble, he moved to Wolves for around £150,000.
Livingston
Griffiths made his debut for LivingstonLivingston F.C.
Livingston Football Club is a Scottish association football club based in Livingston, West Lothian. The club currently plays in the Scottish Football League First Division.The club was founded in 1943 as Ferranti Thistle, a works team...
as a sixteen-year-old, after coming on as an 82nd minute substitute during a 3–1 defeat to Airdrie United
Airdrie United F.C.
Airdrie United Football Club are a Scottish professional football team based in the town of Airdrie, North Lanarkshire. They are currently managed by ex-Airdrieonians player and former Airdrie United Under 19s coach Jimmy Boyle. They are members of the Scottish Football League and play in the...
on 30 December 2006. He went on trial at Premier League team West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
in April 2009 and impressed enough to warrant a move. However, Tony Mowbray
Tony Mowbray
Anthony Mark "Tony" Mowbray is an English former professional football player, who is currently the manager of Middlesbrough...
's departure as manager saw Griffiths' chance of a move ended.
Dundee
On 25 June 2009, Griffiths completed a £125,000 move to Scottish First DivisionScottish Football League First Division
The Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....
rivals Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
, despite having an offer rejected for the player back in April. Griffiths later revealed that he had rejected contract talks with Hearts
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
, citing his belief he would benefit from more first team football at Dundee and Hearts' then defensive playing style as the reasons. In 2009-10 he scored 3 goals to help Dundee win the Scottish Challenge Cup. In January 2011 Livingston
Livingston F.C.
Livingston Football Club is a Scottish association football club based in Livingston, West Lothian. The club currently plays in the Scottish Football League First Division.The club was founded in 1943 as Ferranti Thistle, a works team...
claimed that they have yet to receive payment from Dundee. Dundee denied the claim but it raised doubt over the future transfer of the player at the time. Griffiths became a fans favourite during his spell at Dundee and scored 34 goals in 62 appearances, which included a memorable 30 yard free kick in the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
against Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
On 27 January 2011, Griffiths signed for English Premier League side Wolverhampton WanderersWolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
on a two-and-a-half year contract for an undisclosed fee (believed to be £150,000), after he successfully completed a two week trial.
He was an unused substitute against Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
in March 2011, but has yet to feature in a league fixture for the club, or be part of any matchday squads since. To date, his only Wolves appearance was on 23 August 2011, when he came on as a substitute in a League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
tie at Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
.
To gain playing time, he moved on loan in August 2011 to Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
until 9 January.
International career
Griffiths was selected for the Scotland BScotland B national football team
The Scotland B national football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is a secondary football team of Scotland, run occasionally as support for the Scotland national football team as a second string side to the first team....
side that played Northern Ireland B
Northern Ireland B national football team
Northern Ireland B is a secondary football team run occasionally as support for the Northern Ireland national football team. Primarily seen as a stepping-stone between the Under-21 and Full international teams, the matches are also used to give a run-out for fringe players and to honour Irish...
at the end of the 2008–09 season, and he scored the third goal in a 3–0 win. He was a regular for Scotland at Under 19 level
Scotland national under-19 football team
The Scotland national under-19 football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is Scotland's national football team for players of 19 years of age or under at the start of a European Under-19 Football Championship campaign....
, and has since been selected to play for the Under 21 team
Scotland national under-21 football team
The Scotland national under-21 football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is Scotland's national under 21 football team and is considered to be a feeder team for the Scotland national football team....
. His first goal for Scotland U21 was on his second call up on 2 March 2010 where he equalised against Azerbaijan after being brought on as a substitution just a minute earlier.
Honours
DundeeDundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
- Scottish Challenge Cup: 2009-102009–10 Scottish Challenge CupThe 2009–10 Scottish Challenge Cup, known as the ALBA Challenge Cup due to sponsorship reasons with MG Alba, was the 19th season of the competition, competed for by all 30 members of the Scottish Football League. The previous winner was , who defeated 3–2 on penalties after a 2–2...
Individual
- Scottish Football League Young Player of the MonthScottish Football League monthly awardsThis article lists the winners of the First Division Manager, Second Division Manager, Third Division Manager, Player and Young Player monthly awards in the Scottish Football League-2006-07 season:-2007-08 season:-2008-09 season:-2009-10 season:...
: March 2008, August 2008, March 2009, September 2009, October 2009, November 2010