Charlie Griffin

Charles John Griffin (born 25 June 1979) is an English former professional footballer.

Charlie Griffin
Griffin playing for Newport County in 2011
Personal information
Full name Charles John Griffin
Date of birth (1979-06-25) 25 June 1979
Place of birth Bath, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1996–1998 Bristol Rovers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–1999 Chippenham Town 30 (21)
1999–2000 Swindon Town 28 (2)
1999 → Yeovil Town (loan) 3 (1)
2000 → Woking (loan) 3 (2)
2001–2003 Woking 55 (23)
2001–2002 → Havant & Waterlooville (loan) 5 (1)
2003–2004 Chippenham Town 32 (23)
2004–2005 Forest Green Rovers 38 (16)
2005–2007 Wycombe Wanderers 21 (3)
2006–2007 → Forest Green Rovers (loan) 12 (1)
2007–2008 Newport County 49 (26)
2008–2009 Salisbury City 45 (21)
2009–2011 Stevenage 41 (16)
2011 → Newport County (loan) 15 (3)
2011–2012 Forest Green Rovers 28 (7)
2012 → Salisbury City (loan) 14 (3)
2012–2013 Bath City 35 (15)
2013–2014 Brackley Town 16 (5)
2014–2015 Gloucester City 41 (17)
2015 Chippenham Town 10 (6)
2015–2016 Cirencester Town 46 (22)
Total 567 (234)
Managerial career
2016–2019 Cirencester Town
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Griffin started his career with Bristol Rovers, spending two years at the club and progressing through the club's youth system. He was released at the age of 18 and played part-time football with Chippenham Town for a season. He attracted the attention of Swindon Town in February 1999, signing for the club for a transfer fee of £10,000. He made the majority of his appearances for the club off the bench, and was loaned out to both Yeovil Town and Woking respectively the following season. He joined Woking permanently in 2001, and spent one and a half years with the club – although he had a short loan spell at Havant & Waterlooville in December 2001.

He was released by Woking in 2003, and re-joined Chippenham Town ahead of the 2003–04 season. He impressed during his second tenure at the club, and earned a move back into the highest tier of non-league football in the summer of 2004; signing for Forest Green Rovers. His impressive form for a struggling side earned him a move back into the Football League; this time with Wycombe Wanderers, although he was loaned back out to Forest Green in July 2006 on a season long loan. His loan spell was cut short, and he signed for Newport County in February 2007; spending a season and a half with the Welsh side. He rejected a contract offer from the club in July 2008, and instead joined Salisbury City after a successful trial period with the Wiltshire outfit. His successful spell at Salisbury during the club's 2008–09 campaign earned him a move to Stevenage on a free transfer in May 2009. Griffin helped the club earn promotion to the Football League for the first time in the club's history in his first season at the club. As of June 2021, Griffin had joined the Melksham Town veterans' squad.[2]

Career

Griffin began his league career with Swindon Town in February 1999, having signed from non-league neighbours Chippenham Town for £10,000. After only starting eight games for the Robins though he stepped down to the Conference with Woking having enjoyed a fruitful loan spell there whilst still at the County Ground. He then joined Chippenham Town on loan before making the move permanent in 2002.[3]

In the summer of 2004 Griffin moved to Forest Green Rovers.[4] Since then an impressive scoring record has seen his name touted around various league clubs but it was not until his 20 league and cup goals for Forest Green Rovers during the 2004–05 season that a serious move was made for the talisman. Griffin was given another shot at League football with Wycombe Wanderers when he became John Gorman's first summer signing for the 2005–06 season.

In early July 2006, Griffin turned down Woking to re-join Forest Green Rovers on a season-long loan with an option for recall to Wycombe in the January transfer window.[5] This did not materialise and he signed for Newport County on 14 February 2007.[6] During his time at Newport they twice narrowly missed out on the promotion play-offs and twice appeared in the FAW Premier Cup final, winning the 2008 final. Griffin was top scorer for Newport County in the 2007–08 season but in July 2008 he left Newport after turning down the offer of a new contract.

In the same month he joined Salisbury City on trial but was let go after not being needed. However, Nick Holmes soon went back on his decision and signed him just in time to be in the squad for Salisbury's first game of the season.[7] He made his debut for Salisbury in a game against his former employers, Forest Green Rovers, which ended 2–1 to Salisbury.[8] In the following game, Griffin scored his first goals for the club; scoring a brace in a 4–1 victory against Lewes.[9] In total, he scored 23 goals in 48 appearances throughout the 2008–09 season.[10]

In May 2009, Griffin signed for Stevenage on a free transfer.[11] He made his Stevenage debut in a 1–1 draw against Tamworth in the first game of the 2009–10 season.[12] Following a brief spell out of the first team, Griffin scored his first goal for the Hertfordshire side in a 3–2 victory away at Mansfield Town; slamming the ball into the back of the net to score Stevenage's third, a goal that ultimately ended Mansfield's nine-month unbeaten home record.[13] Griffin followed the goal up with a hat-trick against Hayes & Yeading, and goals against Salisbury City, Chelmsford City, and Port Vale, the latter two coming in the FA Cup.[14][15][16][17] The following week, he scored his second hat-trick of the season against Gateshead at Broadhall Way.[18] Griffin scored a vital goal for Stevenage in a 1–0 victory against Altrincham in April 2010, coming on a substitute in the 78th minute and scoring the only goal of the game five minutes later.[19] He scored yet another important goal just three days later, scoring the first goal in a 2–0 win against Kidderminster Harriers in a game that witnessed Stevenage secure promotion to the Football League for the first time in their history.[20] Griffin played a total of 32 times in his debut season with the Hertfordshire side, scoring an instrumental 15 times.[21]

Ahead of the 2010–11 season, Griffin scored in pre-season friendlies against both Chelmsford City and Hitchin Town respectively.[22][23] He subsequently started in the club's first ever Football League fixture against Macclesfield Town, assisting Peter Vincenti's goal before scoring the equalising goal for Stevenage in the 89th minute.[24] In Stevenage's next home league fixture, Griffin scored twice as Stevenage secured their first three points of the season after beating Stockport County 3–1.[25] In September 2010, Griffin signed an extended contract with the club that keeps him at Stevenage until 2012.[26] In January 2011, Griffin signed for Conference National side Newport County on loan until the end of the 2010–11 season.[27]

After being released by Stevenage at the end of the season, Griffin re-joined former club, Forest Green Rovers.[28] [29] Griffin made his third 'debut' for Forest Green on 12 August 2011 in a 1–1 draw with Stockport County in a match that was televised live on Premier Sports.[30] Four days later, he scored his first goal of the 2011–12 season in a 1–1 draw at Kenilworth Road against Luton Town, giving Forest Green the lead just after half-time.[31]

On 20 February 2012, Griffin re-joined Salisbury City on loan from Forest Green until the end of the season.[32] On his return to Forest Green at the end of the season Griffin was released by the club and in July 2012 it was announced that he had signed for Bath City.

Griffin made a promising start for Bath City, with 9 goals in 14 games for the Conference South side and would go on to finish the season as the club's top goal scorer. Despite this he was released by the club in May 2013.[33]

Following his release from Bath, Griffin joined Conference North side Brackley Town in June 2013.[34] Griffin then joined Conference North club Gloucester City until the end of the 2013/2014 season.[35]

On Thursday 26 February 2015, it was announced that Griffin had signed for Chippenham Town. He joined fellow Southern Football League Premier Division members Cirencester Town during the summer of 2015.[36] He became manager of the club in September the following year, remaining in post until November 2019.[37]

Honours
Newport County
Stevenage

Career statistics
As of 21 August 2016
Club Season League[A] FA Cup League Cup Other[B] Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Chippenham Town
1998–99
 30212100003222
Total 30212100003222
Swindon Town 1998–99[38] 5100000051
1999–2000[39] 211101000231
2000–01[40] 2000000020
Total 282101000302
Yeovil Town (loan) 1999–2000[41] 3100000031
Total 3100000031
Woking 2000–01[42] 28132000003013
2001–02[43] 30101000003110
2002–03[44] 0000000000
Total 58233000006123
Havant & Waterlooville (loan) 2001–02[45] 5100000051
Total 5100000051
Chippenham Town
2003–04
 32232200003425
Total 32232200003425
Forest Green Rovers 2004–05[46] 38172000334320
Total 38172000334320
Wycombe Wanderers 2005–06[47] 213100044267
Total 213100044267
Forest Green Rovers (loan) 2006–07[48] 121000000121
Total 121000000121
Newport County 2006–07[49] 148000000148
2007–08[50] 35180000213719
Total 49260000215127
Salisbury City 2008–09[10] 45211000224823
Total 45211000224823
Stevenage 2009–10[21] 26133200303215
2010–11[51] 153101000173
Total 41164210304918
Newport County (loan) 2010–11[52] 153000000153
Total 153000000153
Forest Green Rovers 2011–12[53] 287100000297
Total 287100000297
Salisbury City (loan) 2011–12[54] 143000000143
Total 143000000143
Bath City 2012–13[54][55] 33152100313817
Total 33152100313817
Gloucester City
2013–14
 148000011159
2014–15
 2794100203410
Total 41174100314919
Cirencester Town
2015–16
 42210075004926
2016–17
 4100000041
Total 46220075005327
Career totals 539222237952012592246
A. ^ The "League" column constitutes appearances and goals (including those as a substitute) in the Football League, Football Conference and Southern Football League.
B. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals (including those as a substitute) in the FA Trophy and Football League Trophy.

References
  1. "Charlie Griffin – ESPN". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  2. "VIDEO: Melksham's Griffin Delighted To Win The County Cup". Your Sport Swindon. 12 June 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  3. "This Is Wiltshire". Archive.thisiswiltshire.co.uk. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
  4. "This Is Wiltshire – Griffin goes to Forest Green". Archive.thisiswiltshire.co.uk. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
  5. "This Is Wiltshire – Charlie back at Forest Green". Archive.thisiswiltshire.co.uk. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
  6. "This Is Wiltshire – Griffin signs for Newport County". Archive.thisiswiltshire.co.uk. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
  7. "Griffin signs for Whites". Salisburyjournal.co.uk. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
  8. "Forest Green 1–2 Salisbury". BBC Sport. 12 August 2008. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  9. "Lewes 1–4 Salisbury". Soccerbase. 16 August 2008. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  10. "Salisbury City 2007/2008 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  11. "City Lose Striker Griffin to Stevenage". sport4salisbury.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
  12. "Stevenage Borough 1–1 Tamworth". BBC Sport. 8 August 2009. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
  13. "Mansfield 2–3 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 12 September 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2009.
  14. "Stevenage Borough 4–0 Hayes & Yeading". BBC Sport. 10 October 2009. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
  15. "Stevenage Borough 3–1 Salisbury City". BBC Sport. 17 October 2009. Retrieved 17 October 2009.
  16. "FA Cup: Chelmsford City 1–2 Stevenage Borough". BBC Sport. 24 October 2009. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  17. "Port Vale 1–1 Stevenage Borough". BBC Sport. 7 November 2009. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
  18. "Stevenage Borough 5–3 Gateshead". BBC Sport. 14 November 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
  19. "Altrincham 0–1 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 14 April 2010. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
  20. "Kidderminster 0–2 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 17 April 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  21. "Stevenage 2009/2010 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  22. "Chelmsford City 1–1 Stevenage". Stevenage F.C. 18 July 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  23. "Boro give whole squad a run-out at Hitchin Town". The Comet. 3 August 2010. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
  24. "Stevenage 2–2 Macclesfield Town". BBC Sport. 7 August 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
  25. "Stevenage 3–1 Stockport". BBC Sport. 21 August 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  26. "New contract for Griffin". Stevenage F.C. 24 September 2010. Retrieved 24 September 2010.
  27. "Griffin and Odubade out on loan". Stevenage F.C. 31 January 2011. Archived from the original on 3 February 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
  28. "Hockaday goes on signing spree". Forest Green Rovers F.C. 14 June 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  29. "Three players commit to Forest Green Rovers". BBC Sport. 14 June 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  30. "Forest Green Rovers 1–1 Stockport County". thisisgloucestershire. 12 August 2011. Archived from the original on 13 September 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
  31. "Luton Town 1–1 Forest Green Rovers". BBC Sport. 16 August 2011. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
  32. "Salisbury re-sign Charlie Griffin & Mark Scott on loan". BBC Sport. 20 February 2012.
  33. "Three depart Bath". Non League Daily. 13 May 2013.
  34. "Brackley bring in Griffin". Non League Daily. 24 June 2013.
  35. "Gloucester City sign Charlie Griffin | Gloucestershire Echo". Archived from the original on 17 January 2014.
  36. "Football: Prolific hit man Charlie Griffin joins Cirencester Town". Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  37. John Brough succeeds his own successor at Cirencester Town The Non-League Football Paper, 4 December 2019
  38. "Swindon Town 1998/1999 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  39. "Swindon Town 1999/2000 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  40. "Swindon Town 2000/2001 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  41. "Yeovil Town 1999/2000 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  42. "Woking 2000/2001 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  43. "Woking 2001/2002 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  44. "Woking 2002/2003 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  45. "Havant & Waterlooville 2001/2002 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  46. "Forest Green 2004/2005 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  47. "Wycombe Wanderers 2005/2006 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  48. "Forest Green 2006/2007 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  49. "Newport County 2006/2007 player appearances". SoccerFactsUK. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  50. "Newport County 2007/2008 player appearances". SoccerFactsUK. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  51. "Stevenage 2010/2011 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  52. "Newport County 2010/11 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
  53. "Forest Green 2011/2012 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  54. "Charlie Griffin – Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  55. "Bath City – Fixtures & Results". Bath City F.C. Archived from the original on 23 May 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
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