Winston Griffiths (soccer)

Winston Griffiths

Personal information
Full name	Winston Griffiths
Date of birth	(1978-09-12)12 September 1978
Place of birth	Clarendon Parish, Jamaica
Date of death
Place of death	May Pen, Jamaica
Height
Position(s)	Left Midfielder
Youth career
1998–1999	University of Rhode Island
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2001	Connecticut Wolves	25	(5)
2001	Galaxy FC
2002	MetroStars	3	(0)
2002	Los Angeles Galaxy	6	(1)
2002	New England Revolution	8	(0)
2003–2004	Portmore United
2004	Vancouver Whitecaps	23	(2)
2005–2006	Arnett Gardens
2005	→ Toronto Lynx (loan)	4	(1)
2007	Toronto Supra	2	(3)
2007–2008	Sporting Central	8	(2)
2010–2011	Humble Lion
International career‡
1998–2002	Jamaica	28	(2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 April 2009 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 April 2009

Winston Griffiths (12 September 1978 – 23 October 2011) was a Jamaican soccer player.

Club career

College

After leaving Jamaica's Glenmuir High, Griffiths played college soccer at the University of Rhode Island from 1998 to 1999, leading the team to the Atlantic-10 Conference regular season and tournament championships in 1999. He finished his career at URI with 42 points.

Professional

Nicknamed Fanna, Griffiths began his professional career with the Connecticut Wolves of the A-League. He returned to his native Jamaica to play for Galaxy FC, but his team was relegated from the Jamaican National Premier League. When the season ended he had an unsuccessful trial with Bolton Wanderers.

In 2002, Griffiths was drafted by Dallas Burn of the Major League Soccer team, but was sent to the MetroStars in a trade for D.J. Countess before the season started. Later in the season, he was traded to Los Angeles Galaxy, and then went to the New England Revolution. With the Revs, Griffiths reached the 2002 MLS Cup final, but lost to his old club, the Los Angeles Galaxy.

In 2003 he signed with the Portmore United and play there until he was signed by the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2004. With the Caps he scored two goals and five assists helping the Whitecaps reach the USL1 Western Conference Finals.

In 2005 Griffiths was signed by Arnett Gardens of the Jamaican National Premier League, but later he was loaned to Toronto Lynx where he would score one goal in three games. Midway through the season Lynx head coach Hubert Busby Jr. released him from his contract, and Griffiths returned to Arnett Gardens.

On 12 July 2007, Griffiths was signed by Toronto Supra of the Canadian Soccer League, making his debut on 15 July against the Canadian Lions, and scoring a hat-trick to give Supra the 5–2 victory. He returned to Jamaica in late 2007 to play for Sporting Central in the Jamaican National Premier League.

International career

Griffiths made his debut for Jamaica in 1998 against Guatemala, and made his last international was in 2002 against Barbados, having played 28 times and scored twice for the Reggae Boyz.

Death

On Sunday 23 October 2011, Griffiths was found in odd circumstances and later died in May Pen hospital, he was 33.

External links

• Profile of Winston Griffiths
• Goodbye 'Fanna'... former Reggae Boy passes on - Jamaica Star