Rhys Griffiths (footballer)

For the English rugby league footballer, see Rhys Griffiths (rugby league).

Rhys Griffiths
Personal information
Full name Rhys Griffiths[1]
Date of birth (1980-03-01) 1 March 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth Cardiff, Wales
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Penybont (player-manager)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2002 Cwmbrân Town 22 (1)
2002–2004 Haverfordwest County 57 (19)
2004 Carmarthen Town 9 (2)
2004–2006 Port Talbot Town 51 (35)
2006–2012 Llanelli 181 (180)
2012 Port Talbot Town 0 (0)
2012–2013 Plymouth Argyle 11 (3)
2013 Newport County 10 (0)
2013–2015 Port Talbot Town 48 (25)
2015–2016 Aberystwyth Town 21 (7)
2016– Penybont 13 (3)
International career
2007–2008 Wales semi-professional 6 (1)
Managerial career
2016– Penybont
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 January 2023 (UTC)

Rhys Griffiths (born 1 March 1980) is a Welsh footballer and current manager of Cymru Premier side Penybont.

An aggressive target man and goal-getter, Rhys dominated the Welsh Premier scoring charts for the best part of a decade. Although he boasts the best goal scoring ratio, Rhys is second in the all-time list of Welsh Premier League scorers with 271 goals in 343 appearances, 47 behind Marc Lloyd Williams.[3] He finished as top scorer in seven consecutive seasons,[4] and was included in the Welsh Premier League's team of the season six times.[5] The only three-time winner of the league's Player of the Year award, Griffiths was capped six times by Wales at semi-professional level.[5][6]

Griffiths combined his role as a part-time footballer with being a firefighter in the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service before signing his first professional contract with Plymouth Argyle in 2012.[7][8] Prior to making his debut in the Football League, Griffiths played for Cwmbrân Town, Haverfordwest County, Carmarthen Town, Port Talbot Town and Llanelli.[5][9]

  1. ^ Rhys Griffiths at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  2. ^ "Griffiths to put team before his own targets". Western Morning News. Plymouth. 15 August 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  3. ^ "Welsh Premier all-time goal scorers". Welsh Premier League. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  4. ^ "Golden Boot winners". Welsh Premier League. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  5. ^ a b c "Welsh Premier career details for Rhys Griffiths". Welsh Premier League. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  6. ^ "Scots hold Wales to semi-pro draw". BBC Sport. BBC. 20 May 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  7. ^ "Griffiths: This is a dream move". The Herald. Plymouth. 8 August 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  8. ^ "Griffiths is grateful for help from fire service". Western Morning News. Plymouth. 8 August 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  9. ^ "Griffiths pondering Swiss switch". BBC Sport. BBC. 17 December 2007. Retrieved 18 August 2012.