Griffin Saver!

[The Prisoner]

Coming in on loan from Stoke. Not a player I know much about. Thoughts?

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 60,00.html

Reading are lining up a loan swoop for Stoke defender Andy Griffin, skysports.com understands.

Royals caretaker boss Brian McDermott has admitted he is keen to bring in some experience to his squad and he has targeted a move for Griffin.

Griffin has found himself well down the pecking order at Stoke this season, making just three appearances in Tony Pulis' first team.

Stoke are believed to be ready to loan out a number of fringe players as they look to trim their squad and Griffin could be one of the first to depart the Britannia Stadium.

McDermott has admitted he is looking at areas of the side to improve with a versatile defender such as Griffin thought to be one of his main priorities.

"We've got one or two positions where we think we can strengthen and maybe we can use the loan market," said McDermott.

"We'd like to bring some experienced heads in."

[rotherwick_royal]

Not going to set the world alight but this one makes perfect sense to me.

[Focher]

Not going to set the world alight but this one makes perfect sense to me.

granted

[SteveRoyal]

Not going to set the world alight but this one makes perfect sense to me.

+1

Solid enough, and will be the RB we've been looking for.

[Stranded]

He's a right back isn't he? Makes perfect sense then.

[Southbank Old Boy]

can play anywhere across the back I think, but mainly a right back

Sounds like a sensible move and would be quite pleased if we pulled it off

[Barry the bird boggler]

The whydelialah site says of Andy Griffin (he's 31 in March)...

The full back’s association with the Potters dates back over 10 years after he joined the club as a youth player.

Having worked his way through the ranks, the Wigan-born defender, made his debut for the Potters aged 17, when he appeared as a late substitute in a 3-1 victory against Portsmouth in October, 1996

After being given his chance by Lou Macari against Pompey, Griffin went on to make another 36 appearances that season.
His solid performances, regardless of his young age, soon saw Griffin in demand.

During his brief tenure at the club, Chris Kamara sold Griffin to Newcastle United for £1.5 million in 1998.

After making over 60 appearances for the Magpies, Griffin was sold to Portsmouth in 2004.

After spending two years on the South Coast, Griffin returned ‘home’ when Tony Pulis snapped him up on loan. However despite spending almost the entire 2006/2007 season at Stoke, the arrangement didn’t became permanent.

The lure of another crack at Premier League football proved too much and Griffin joined Derby County for their ill-fated 2007/2008 season in the top flight.

But his stay at Pride Park was brief, and in January 2008, he returned to Stoke City for a fourth time, when Pulis splashed out around £300,000 to once again, bring him ‘home’.

Griffin will be hoping his experience in the Premier League this time around is a lot more fruitful than his last.

[Super Kevin Bremner!]

This smacks of a Ray Ranson style signing.

Would be disappointing to see old hacks coming in to the side at this stage. Mercenary loan players are not the people you want in a relegation battle.

[West Stand Flash]

It shows how quickly this club has gone backwards if people are excited about signing this has been.
Replace Gunnarsson with him, oh joy!

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Didn't he have that stand off with Ricardo Fuller last season?

[Mr Optimist]

Yes he did.

I think he would be a good signing and a solid player at this level with a lot of experience to see us safely through this car crash of a season.

[Gus the teenage cow]

He's a donkey, overweight, no pace and looks about 60. However he tried hard and has "grit" and "determination" (i.e. he has an angry look on his face as he vainly chases after a winger after being skint for the umpteenth time)

This potential signing is exactly why BM should NOT get the job

[TBM]

Dont agree with his racist views but i guess he cant be worse than what we have

[dobcheck]

I will pass judgement once i see him play.

[Ian Royal]

thought Stoke's fullbacks looked pretty good the season they got promoted. and he seems to have played a fair bit that season. Not Prem quality, but will inject a bit of much needed experience at the back in a position we've had problems with for a while.

Good shot-term signing if it happens IMO.

[Plymouth_Royal]

He's a donkey, overweight, no pace and looks about 60. However he tried hard and has "grit" and "determination" (i.e. he has an angry look on his face as he vainly chases after a winger after being skint for the umpteenth time)

This potential signing is exactly why BM should NOT get the job

Sniff* Sniff*....I smell Coppell

[Dirk Gently]

Stoke fans loved him last season.

And loans are fine - if the players crap don't play them or send them back.

[1871royals]

Good signing I think.

We need an experienced RB who can hit the ground running.

He knows how to play in this division.

Cant complain really.

[PistolPete]

Terrible player

[No Fixed Abode]

Peter Griffin is better.

Andy Griffin is a bit like Murty, will give it 110% but stil not very good.