Brian McDermott pulled off a Reading FC masterstroke when he signed 31-year-old for a nominal fee

Brian McDermott pulled off a Reading FC masterstroke when he signed 31-year-old for a nominal fee

Despite not being the most visually striking player, Reading FC fans will always remember Andrew Griffin because he was a key part of some of their best moments.

The right-back, who had played in the Premier League for a number of clubs, joined the Royals in the summer of 2010 after spending some time on loan at Stoke City during the second half of the previous season for a “nominal fee,” according to the BBC.

His arrival helped drive Reading up the league and onto larger and better things in the following seasons, even though they were in the Championship relegation zone when he first moved to the Madjeski Stadium in early January 2010.

Brian McDermott pulled off a masterstroke with the signing of Andrew Griffin

Griffin had struggled for minutes during the first half of the 2009/10 season with Stoke, failing to make a single Premier League appearance, so Reading snapped him up on loan as they tried to navigate themselves away from the bottom of the Championship.

Griffin’s arrival, along with the appointment of Brian McDermott in December 2009, helped the Royals climb the table and ultimately finish in ninth place. It turned out to be a wise move.

It was obvious that the Royals would sign 31-year-old Griffin to a long-term contract because of his extensive experience, which laid the groundwork for the seasons that followed.

Griffin made 33 Championship appearances as Reading overcame a lacklustre start to the season to finish fifth and earn a spot in the playoffs. It turned out to be a brilliant move.

The right-back was selected in the starting lineup for the final when Reading faced Swansea City for a spot in the Premier League, and he played the entire ninety minutes in both legs of the semi-final when they defeated Cardiff City.

Griffin will be the first to acknowledge that the play-off final wasn’t his best afternoon because he was sent off after just eight minutes and gave up a careless foul on Fabio Borini in the second half, which allowed the Swans to score a penalty and end his team’s chances of winning.

But Reading overcame that setback to win the Championship the next season, guaranteeing automatic promotion. Despite Griffin’s little contribution, he was a crucial component of their

Andrew Griffin left Reading after their promotion to the Premier League

At this point, Griffin was 33, and his best days were behind him, so Reading made the decision to release him in the summer of 2012 with his contract up.

It was a shame it ended that way, but given the fact he had initially been signed on a short-term loan, he certainly exceeded expectations at the Madejski, and he’ll be remembered as an unsung hero for keeping them in the division before being part of a side that were promoted to the Premier League.

As a free agent in 2012, Griffin instead joined League One team Doncaster Rovers, where he played 16 games in a season before being cut loose the following summer.

Griffin’s senior career appeared to be over at that point, although he did make a brief comeback with Chester in 2014, playing four games in the National League before retiring later that year.

Despite being towards the end of his career when he joined the Royals in 2010, Griffin had a significant impact during his two and a half years there, and fans should remember him with fondness.

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