Newcastle-under-Lyme College appoint former Stoke City captain Andy Griffin

ANDY Griffin has tasted early success after taking up a coaching role at Newcastle under Lyme College.

The former Stoke City captain, who still lives with his family in nearby Barlaston, is relishing the challenge of swapping his shin pads for a whistle and clipboard after opting to retire from playing earlier in the summer.

The 35-year-old former Stoke, Newcastle, Portsmouth, Derby, Reading and Doncaster full-back said: "The college approached me at the end of last season to see whether I was interested in a part-time coaching role.

 
"I'm a kind of right-hand man to a couple of teams in the 16s to 18s age group, and they range from lads who just want a kick-about to those taking it more seriously after maybe coming from a football club academy.

"The facilities are fantastic and they are really trying hard to be professional and make it a selling point for the college."

Retirement appears to have crept up on Griffin, below, after he finished last season at non-league Chester and then withdrew to see what the summer brought.

He explained: "I don't think I've actually thought to myself that I've retired, I certainly haven't picked up the phone to tell anybody, it just seems to have happened.

"Nothing really came up on the playing side for me this summer, although I didn't pursue anything, so I now see myself going over to what I've always called the 'dark side' of coaching.

"I've never really coached before, and certainly never managed before, and it is a lot harder than I thought.

"You want to mingle with the lads and have a bit of banter to form bonds because it only feels like yesterday that I was 15 or 16, but they also need a bit of authority to get the best out of them and to try to be disciplined and professional.