Leigh Griffiths

Leigh Griffiths (born 20 August 1990) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Australian club Mandurah City, as well as being part of the coaching staff.

Griffiths started his career at Livingston where he made his debut as a sixteen-year-old.

Griffiths made his debut for Livingston 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.

His teammates in his breakthrough period at Almondvale Stadium included fellow youth graduates and future Scotland colleagues Robert Snodgrass and Graham Dorrans.

Griffiths won the SFL under-19 League in 2007–08 with the youth team.

He then moved to Dundee in 2009 for £125,000.

During his five years in the Scottish First Division he earned six young player of the month awards.

In March 2009, Griffiths alongside then Livingston teammates Andy Halliday and Joe McKee spent five days on trial with Italian Serie B side Parma.

He also trained with Premier League team West Bromwich Albion in April 2009 and impressed enough to warrant a move, but manager Tony Mowbray departed soon afterwards and the club moved onto other targets.

On 25 June 2009, Griffiths completed a £125,000 move to Scottish First Division rivals Dundee, despite having an offer rejected for the player back in April.

He scored three goals on Dundee's run in the 2009–10 Scottish Challenge Cup, and played in their 3–2 win over Inverness in the final.

With Dundee in financial trouble, Griffiths moved to Wolves for around £150,000 in January 2011.

Having not been a Wolves first team regular, he spent the 2011–12 season on loan to Scottish Premier League club Hibernian.

This loan was renewed for the following season, during which he won the SFWA Footballer of the Year award and made his debut appearance for Scotland.

Livingston claimed in January 2011 that they had yet to receive payment, which was denied by Dundee.

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 League Cup against Rangers.

On 27 January 2011, Griffiths signed for English Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers on a two-and-a-half-year contract after he successfully completed a two-week trial.

The transfer fee paid to Dundee was estimated at £150,000.

He was an unused substitute against Tottenham in March 2011, but did not feature again in part of any matchday squads during the club's remaining fixtures that season.

His Wolves debut came on 23 August 2011, when he came on as a substitute in a League Cup tie at Northampton Town, in what was to be his only game for the club during the 2011–12 and 2012–13 seasons.

In both these seasons, Wolves instead loaned him out to Hibernian, where he enjoyed considerable success (see below).

Griffiths moved on a 6-month loan in August 2011 to Scottish Premier League club Hibernian.

Three days before his loan was due to end, it was extended to the end of the season.

He was criticised by the Hibs manager, Pat Fenlon, after he was suspended for a second time for gesturing at supporters.

Later that month, he was suspended again for the same offence.

Overall, Griffiths scored 11 goals in 36 appearances for Hibs during the 2011–12 season.

In March 2012, newspaper reports claimed that he had assaulted Fenlon and his assistant, but these reports were denied by the club.

He scored a late winning goal in the 2–1 win in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen.

After it appeared Griffiths had become part of Wolves' plans during the 2013–14 season he moved mid-season to join Celtic.

Following his performances with Hibs, Wolves opted to take up their option of a contract extension that would ensure Griffiths remained under contract for the 2013–14 season.

Hibernian subsequently made an offer to acquire him in a permanent deal, but it was rejected by Wolves, who also stated that they had "no intention of selling the player on to any other club".

New Wolves manager Kenny Jackett affirmed that Griffiths was part of his plans for their campaign in League One, and he made his league debut for the club on 3 August 2013 against Preston, some two-and-a-half years since first signing.

He scored his first goals for the club a week later when he scored twice against Gillingham, having agreed a new long-term contract.

By January 2014 Griffiths was Wolves' leading goalscorer for the season with thirteen goals, attracting bids from Celtic.

After Wolves rejected initial offers from the Scottish champions, they accepted a bid on 31 January, reported to be £1 million.

Griffiths scored regularly during his first few seasons with Celtic and then played regularly for Scotland, scoring twice in a 2–2 draw with England in June 2017.

After failing to impress for Celtic in later years, Griffiths spent the first half of the 2021–22 season on loan with Dundee.

He was recalled by Celtic and released at the end of the January 2022 transfer window, after which he signed for Scottish League One club Falkirk.

On 9 August 2022, he signed for Western Australian outfit Mandurah City.

Griffiths was born in Leith, Edinburgh.