Still throws his support behind Griffiths

The full back has endured a difficult start to the campaign, but turned in an excellent display during Tuesday night’s Capital One Cup clash with Stoke City. Still had urged Griffiths to up his game prior to the clash and speaking to the press afterwards, he said: “Scott Griffiths has been a stalwart here and he hasn’t started well. Well why not get round him, encourage him and say ‘come on Scott’ and get him back to where he was.

“Or shall we moan at him and slag him off? He hasn’t done great, I’m the manager, I’ll tell him, but other people, no need to tell him.

“They need to get behind him, because he’s a good player. Do you want him to go into his shell and not want to come and play or do you want to say ‘come on Scott, come and play, we know you can do the job’.

“Well I know what I’ll do.”

After taking their Premier League opponents to penalties on what had been a pulsating night at Kenilworth Road, it was Griffiths’ effort that cannoned against the bar that proved the turning point, allowing Geoff Cameron to win it.

Still continued: “They were great penalties, that’s football. He missed one the other day, I can’t remember his name, plays for Barcelona, is it Messi?

“I think he missed one, someone’s going to miss.”

Midfielder Cameron McGeehan, who had been set up by a wonderful cross from Griffiths for his stoppage time equaliser, was of the same opinion as his manager, as he said: “Someone’s always going to have to miss and it was unlucky that it was Scotty Griffiths.

“But he had a good game and put in a great assist for the goal, so he can walk away with his head held high.

“Scott has had his troubles lately, he’s dealing with them himself, the management have got decisions to make on Scott, but he did really well.

“That’s a boost for him, hopefully the rest of the team can get around him as we’re all not playing particularly well.

“We’re not just putting the blame on Scott or any other players, it’s a team game. We’re a group and Scott Griffiths has been a great servant for this club and is a good player so we know he can get back to his best.”

Captain for the night Scott Cuthbert echoed both Still and McGeehan, adding: “Scott has maybe had a bit of a hard time recently, but I thought he was magnificent, absolutely magnificent.

“To have the bottle to go up and take a penalty, regardless of if he misses, he was fantastic, so full credit to him.”