{{short description|Welsh footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}} {{Infobox football biography | name= Stan Griffiths | image = | fullname = Stanley Griffiths<ref name="Hayes"/> | birth_date = {{birth date|1911|2|08|df=y}}<ref name="Hayes"/> | birth_place = Pentre, Wales | death_date = {{death date and age|2003|1|12|1911|2|08|df=y}}<ref name=gfcprog /> | death_place = France | height = | currentclub = | clubnumber = | position = Outside forward | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = 1931–1932 | clubs1 = Cardiff City | caps1 = 0 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 1932–1933 | clubs2 = Chester | caps2 = 0 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 1933–1934 | clubs3 = Gillingham | caps3 = 4 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 1934–1935 | clubs4 = Cardiff City | caps4 = 2 | goals4 = 2 | years5 = | clubs5 = Bangor City | caps5 = | goals5 = | years6 = | clubs6 = Folkestone | caps6 = | goals6 = | years7 = 1937–1938 | clubs7 = Dundalk | caps7 = 22 | goals7 = 5 | years8 = 1938–1939 | clubs8 = Grantham | caps8 = | goals8 = }} '''Stanley Griffiths''' (8 February 1911 – 12 January 2003) was a Welsh professional footballer who played as an outside forward. He played six times in the Football League during spells with Gillingham and Cardiff City.
==Career== Born in Pentre, Griffiths began his career with Cardiff City in 1931. Unable to break into the first team, he moved to Chester the following year but again made no appearances.<ref name="Hayes">{{Cite book | title = The Who's Who of Cardiff City | first = Dean | last = Hayes | publisher = Breedon Books | year = 2006 | page=79 | location=Derby | isbn= 1-85983-462-0}}</ref> He signed for Gillingham in 1933 and made his professional debut in a 2–1 defeat against Torquay United.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2012/december/on-this-day16/ |title=On this day... |publisher=Gillingham F.C. |accessdate=23 October 2018}}</ref> He made three further league appearances for the side before returning to Cardiff in 1934. During the 1934–35 season, he made two appearances for Cardiff, scoring in both, but was not retained by the club at the end of the season.<ref name="Hayes"/>
After spells with Bangor and Folkestone, Griffiths joined Irish side Dundalk. He made his debut for the club in their opening match of the season, scoring once in a 3–2 victory over Shelbourne in the Dublin City Cup. He helped the club to win the trophy later in the season, the first time Dundalk had won the competition. Along with fellow winger Jimmy McArdle, he provided numerous assists for forward Joey Donnelly who scored a career high 24 goals during the season and scored ten goals in all competitions himself.<ref name="dundalk"/>
The club also finished the season as runners-up behind Shamrock Rovers in the league and reached the final of the FAI Cup, losing 2–1 to St James's Gate.<ref name="dundalk">{{cite web |url=http://www.dundalkfcwhoswho.com/player.php?id=65 |title=Stanley Griffiths |publisher=Dundalk F.C. Who's Who |accessdate=23 October 2014}}</ref> He returned to England in 1938, joining Grantham where he finished his playing career following the outbreak of World War II.<ref name="dundalk"/>
==Later life== Griffiths was called up for service during World War II but was later given a medical discharge owing to cartilage injuries suffered during his playing career.<ref name="dundalk"/> He instead went to work in Chatham Dockyard where he worked until retirement. He also briefly worked as a trainer at his former club Gillingham and as a scout for Sheffield Wednesday. He died in 2003 from neurocysticercosis at his son's home in France.<ref name="dundalk"/> Immediately prior to his death he was believed to be the oldest living former Gillingham player.<ref name=gfcprog>{{cite journal|journal=Gillingham Vs Leeds United Matchday Programme|title=Death of former player|date=25 January 2003|page=9}}</ref>
==Honours== '''Dundalk'''<ref name="dundalk"/> * Dublin City Cup winner: 1938 * FAI Cup finalist: 1938
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffiths, Stan}} Category:1911 births Category:2003 deaths Category:Welsh men's footballers Category:Cardiff City F.C. players Category:Chester City F.C. players Category:Gillingham F.C. players Category:Bangor City F.C. players Category:Folkestone F.C. players Category:Dundalk F.C. players Category:Grantham Town F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:Men's association football forwards Category:People from Pentre Category:Footballers from Rhondda Cynon Taf