Born in Stairfoot, which was then in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Griffiths played for Ardsley Athletic, Barnsley Main and Thurnscoe Victoria before signing for Chesterfield of the Football League in October 1934.
[1] After making 75 appearances and scoring 14 goals in the league,[1] Everton tried to sign him, but he eventually joined Portsmouth for a fee of £750 in June 1939.
[2] He joined Aldershot in June 1946, making 42 appearances and scoring nine goals in the league in the 1946–47 season,[1] before signing for Barnsley for a fee of £300 in July 1947.
[1] He was captain for two seasons, making 78 appearances and scoring 12 goals, before retiring in 1953 after being unsuccessful in his application for the role of manager at York.
[2] During the war, Griffiths served on HMS Adamant and played football for the English Combined Services team.