Potters defender Andy Griffin has joined Championship strugglers Reading on loan for the rest of the season.
Griffin hasn't played in the Premier League for the Potters since being involved in the slapping incident with Ricardo Fuller on Boxing Day 2008. He has played, and scored, in this season's Carling Cup but will now see his future elsewhere with Andy Wilkinson and Robert Huth firmly established as the first choice right backs.
Wigan born Griffin started his career at Stoke before securing a £1.5m move to Newcastle United. He was at St. James Park for six years, scoring a Champions League winner away at Juventus in his time on Tyneside, before joining Portsmouth. His next move was to twice move back to Stoke on loan before signing a deal with newly promoted Derby. After a nightmare six months he rejoined Stoke yet again and helped his hometown club to promotion and was a regular for the first half of last season but has been frozen out since the previosuly mentioned incident, which followed a confrontation between the pair after Fuller had gestured to the then captain Griffin over a goal that the side had just conceded.
Griffin has played 137 games for the Potters, scoring five goals, including a 30 yard screamer against Coventry in November 2006 that won the goal of the season award.