Brian McDermott pulled off a Reading FC masterstroke when he signed 31-year-old for a nominal fee | OneFootball

Reading signed Andrew Griffin from Stoke in 2012 and it proved an inspired signing

Andrew Griffin may not have been the flashiest of players, but he'll be fondly remembered by Reading FC supporters for playing an important role in some of their greatest days.

The right-back had a wealth of top-flight experience with a range of clubs, and he joined the Royals in the summer of 2010 from Stoke City for a 'nominal fee', as per the BBC, after spending time on loan with them during the second part of the previous campaign.

Reading were in the Championship relegation zone at the beginning of January 2010 when he first made the move to the Madjeski Stadium, but his arrival helped take them up the table, and onto bigger and better things in the seasons that followed.

Brian McDermott pulled off a masterstroke with the signing of Andrew Griffin

Griffin had struggled for minutes during the first half of the 2009/10 season with Stoke, failing to make a single Premier League appearance, so Reading snapped him up on loan as they tried to navigate themselves away from the bottom of the Championship.

It proved an inspired move, and Griffin's arrival, coupled with Brian McDermott being appointed in December 2009, helped the Royals move up the table, eventually finishing in ninth place.

That set the foundations for what followed in the coming seasons, and it was a no-brainer for the Royals to tie 31-year-old Griffin to a permanent deal with his vast experience coming in handy.

It proved a masterstroke, and Griffin made 33 Championship appearances as Reading recovered from an indifferent start to the season to finish 5th, sealing a place in the play-offs.

The right-back played the full 90 minutes in both legs of the semi-final as Reading dispatched Cardiff City, and he was named in the starting XI for the final as they played Swansea City for a place in the Premier League.

Griffin will be the first to admit that the play-off final wasn't his finest afternoon as he was booked after just eight minutes and conceded a silly foul on Fabio Borini in the second half to gift the Swans a penalty which was scored to take the game away from his side.

However, Reading put that disappointment behind them to win the Championship the following season, sealing automatic promotion, and while Griffin played a bit-part role, he was still an important member of their squad.

Andrew Griffin left Reading after their promotion to the Premier League

At this point, Griffin was 33, and his best days were behind him, so Reading made the decision to release him in the summer of 2012 with his contract up.

It was a shame it ended that way, but given the fact he had initially been signed on a short-term loan, he certainly exceeded expectations at the Madejski, and he'll be remembered as an unsung hero for keeping them in the division before being part of a side that were promoted to the Premier League.

Griffin instead moved to League One side Doncaster Rovers as a free agent in 2012, spending a season at the Keepmoat Stadium, playing 16 times in the league before being released the following summer.

That looked to be the end of Griffin's senior career, but he did return for a brief spell with Chester in 2014, playing four games in the National League before retiring later that year.