Recently released and now former Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths has surprisingly turned down an offer from Dundee, where he has been playing his football since being loaned out by Celtic on the last day of the summer transfer window, and is said to be on the lookout for a new club.
The Dens Park outfit have just released at statement where they thanked the former Scotland international for his efforts and wished him well in the future. As published on their club website dundeefc.co.uk, it said:
“Leigh Griffiths has left the club following the expiry of his loan deal earlier this week.
“Striker Leigh rejoined the club in August on loan from Celtic and made 17 appearances.
“He found the net three times, in two different matches against Aberdeen and also the winner from the spot against Dumbarton in the Scottish Cup.
“We would like to thank Leigh for his efforts while at Dens and wish him all the best for the future.”
Dundee boss James McPake, who is well known to be friendly with the striker, was hopeful of thrashing out a deal to keep Griffiths at the club for the remainder of the campaign but the 31-year-old has turned down the opportunity to help the Tayside outfit in their battle against relegation.
Griffiths will now be a free agent and if rumour is to be believed, League One outfit Queen’s Park are lining up an ambitious offer for the once prolific goalscorer.
It’s sad to see Leigh Griffiths career peter out in this way. The striker was hugely successful during his time at Celtic Park, having a ratio of almost a goal every two games in a trophy laden spell in Glasgow. He made 262 appearances overall, scoring 123 goals which will mean he will always be a huge part of Celtic’s history having joined an exclusive club of players who have reached a century of goals during their time at Paradise.
Griffiths Celtic career got a surprising reprieve when new manager Ange Postecoglou joined in the summer, offering the striker a new one year contract and a clean slate to prove to the Australian just why so many fans and previous managers rated him so highly. Many felt he was in the last chance saloon at the club, and after he clearly struggled mentally during lockdown this could be a new start for the player. A chance to leave his off field troubles behind and get back to doing what he loves, scoring goals in front of full stadiums once again.
Unfortunately problems in his personal life reared their head once more, this time regarding social media contact with a teenage girl which the police later concluded wasn’t a criminal offence, but it was to prove his final misdemeanor of a hugely successful yet controversial Celtic career.
It’s very doubtful we will ever see Griffiths perform at a high level again and the talk of him potentially joining a Scottish League One side really shows how far his reputation has declined over the past year. People will say he could still do a job for any team in the Cinch Premiership but very little clubs will be willing to take that risk. Unfortunately it seems like he comes with too much baggage.
Good luck wherever you end up Leigh.
Conall McGinty
I still blame rodgers for ruining Griffiths.
He was the one who set the wheels in motion to undermine and discredit Griff.
A more gifted and more natural goalscorer than anyone since Larsson, Griffiths deserved more respect from rodgers who himself turned out to be a scumbag willing to stab anyone in the back to get his own way.
My memories of Griff will always be good ones and had he been handled better could have been bulging the nets for us for a couple of seasons longer.
But rodgers was all about himself and ruined a great career.