Leigh Griffiths make shock return to former club as ex-Hibs and Celtic striker signs one-year deal

Former Hibs, Celtic and Scotland striker Leigh Griffiths is back in football, signing a one-year deal with his former club at semi-pro level in Australia.

The 32-year-old has flown back to Australia to reunite with former Raith Rovers and Falkirk striker John Baird, who is the player-manager of Mandurah City. Griffiths previous had a brief spell at the semi-professional West State League Division One side last season, scoring twice in a handful of appearances after signing a short-term deal.

He returned to Scotland and was training with Livingston but was not able to find a club in Scotland. He has not played for a professional club since leaving Falkirk last season and is now make his way across the world for the rest of his new club's season. The semi-professional side play in the WA State League Division 1.

Griffiths has signed a one-year deal with the Western Australian side and he could be available for the clash with Freemantle City this weekend in the State League Night Series.

Leigh Griffiths has trained on and off with Livingston this season to keep his fitness up. Picture: Mark Scates / SNS

“I am very pleased for everyone involved with the club,” said Baird. “To bring Leigh back is a credit and a display of the hard work everyone behind the scenes is putting in. Leigh wanted to come back after understanding our goals for the 2023 season.

“Leigh’s ability on the pitch is undoubtable. His experience speaks for itself and his signing is an opportunity for him to get back to enjoying his football in a positive and competitive environment. I have had Australian internationals contacting me asking to come down and train because they want to see Leigh play.”

Brought up in Leith, Griffiths came through the youth ranks at Leith Athletic and Hutchison Vale before signing pro terms with Livingston and making his first-team debut at 16. He later moving on to Dundee and then Wolves. A boyhood Hibs fan, he scored 39 goals in 78 appearances when on loan from Wolves from 2011 to 2013 and was named he was named the Scottish Footballer Writers player of the year in 2012/13.

He later scored over 100 goals for Celtic and won 14 major honours in eight years at the Glasgow club. He also scored four times in 22 caps for Scotland, including two free-kicks in one game against England.