sportbible homepage
sportbible homepage
  • Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • World Cup
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Manchester United
    • Liverpool
    • Arsenal
    • Real Madrid
    • Barcelona
  • Formula 1
    • Red Bull
    • Ferrari
    • McLaren
    • Mercedes
    • Max Verstappen
    • Lewis Hamilton
    • Lando Norris
    • George Russell
    • Charles Leclerc
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • More Sport
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • Darts
    • Athletics
    • Rugby
    • Wrestling
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Snapchat
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • LADbible
  • Tyla
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
Former Tottenham wonderkid who cancelled his own contract is now playing Sunday League
Home>Football>Football News>Tottenham Hotspur
Updated 10:53 22 Jan 2024 GMTPublished 10:49 22 Jan 2024 GMT

Former Tottenham wonderkid who cancelled his own contract is now playing Sunday League

Former Spurs star Reo Griffiths turned down a professional contract to sign for Lyon in 2018.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

A former Tottenham wonderkid who outscored Harry Kane is now playing at a very different level six years after turning down a professional contract.

Reo Griffiths bagged 33 goals for Spurs' Under 18 side in the 2017/18 season, nearly double what England record goalscorer Kane managed when he was in the youth ranks in 2009/10.

The striker, who scored four goals in a 9-0 hammering of North London rivals Arsenal, was tipped for big things.

Advert

Spurs offered him a professional deal but terms could not be reached and Griffiths ended up staying on his scholarship deal for a third year.

However, Griffiths saw his future elsewhere and according to The Sun,

both he and the club signed documents to signal his contract was cancelled.

A slew of clubs were circling around Griffiths, including the likes of PSG, Real Madrid, Barcelona and RB Leipzig.

Image: Getty
Image: Getty

In the end Lyon won the race for his signature, with Griffiths signing a four-year deal and Spurs being entitled to six years' training compensation under FIFA rules.

The England youth international spent three-and-a-half years with the Ligue One outfit but did not make a first-team appearance.

Instead, he mainly turned out for the club's second team in the Championnat National 2 and scored 13 goals.

Image: Getty
Image: Getty

Griffiths then played in both League One and League Two with Doncaster Rovers before dropping down to the National League in a brief loan spell with Yeovil Town.

His Rovers deal was terminated by mutual consent in November 2023 and it was reported that he had been without a club since then.

However, it's emerged that Griffiths has actually dropped down to the wonderful world of Sunday League football.

He's been playing for Critics FC, who are fifth in the Senior Division of the Essex Sunday Corinthian Football League.

According to the league's website, Griffiths was made available from the 1 December and has four goals in three games.

After a post went viral, the club took to X to say that Griffiths is using the time with them to get "critical minutes/fitness in the tank before he lights up the professional stage".

Featured Image Credit: Getty & Essex Sunday Corinthian Football League

Topics: Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League

Josh Lawless
Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and WWE. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has covered two WrestleMania events for SPORTbible.

X

@joshlawless_

Recommended reads

'I don't want to be missing anymore' - Jamie Vardy drops retirement hint as he talks Netflix documentaryNetflix / Untold UK: Jamie VardyFormer Man Utd No.2 suggests only reason Michael Carrick would not get the full-time jobGetty ImagesVinnie Jones ‘would love’ for rags to riches life story to be made into movie as he talks Netflix documentaryNetflixMan Utd's 15 transfer targets to fill four key positions as at least six prepare to leaveGetty Images

Advert

Choose your content:

22 mins ago
2 hours ago
14 hours ago
15 hours ago
  • Getty
    22 mins ago

    Chelsea manager target holds talks with another Premier League club in move no-one saw coming

    Chelsea are searching for a permanent replacement for Liam Rosenior after sacking him in April.

    Football
  • Getty
    2 hours ago

    Arne Slot risks fresh Mo Salah row with pointed response to Liverpool 'standards' claim

    Salah spoke in uncertain terms about Liverpool's 'standards' once he leaves the club at the end of this season.

    Football
  • Getty
    14 hours ago

    Mason Greenwood 'ignores' Marseille staff member every day as major relationship breakdown revealed

    Mason Greenwood has scored 25 goals this season but the club have reportedly had enough of him.

    Football
  • Getty
    15 hours ago

    Jose Mourinho's 10 major demands as he opens talks for Real Madrid return

    Jose Mourinho has reportedly held talks about a second stint at Real Madrid.

    Football
  • Sunday League player wears state-of-the-art Man City tracking device during game, the results are incredible
  • Tottenham star James Maddison gets pied when trying to call 'the most famous person' in his phone contacts
  • The incredible story of when Roberto Carlos played in a Sunday League game
  • Spurs have special agreement with Bayern Munich after signing Harry Kane and Eric Dier