Duo Head Out With Another Close To Exit

Last updated : 02 July 2010 By Dan Buxton

Stoke pair Andy Griffin and Steve Simonsen have both left the club, joining Championship sides Reading and, more than likely, Sheffield United respectively, whilst winger Liam Lawrence looks set to join them in exiting the Britannia Stadium as he moves ever closer to his 'dream' move to Scottish giants Celtic.

Griffin, 32, was in his fourth spell with the Potters, after initally coming through the clubs youth ranks in the mid-nineties, and was captain of the side that got promoted, and stayed in, the Premier League but was restricted to the odd cup appearance after an altercation with Ricardo Fuller away at West Ham on Boxing Day 2008. The full back made a total of 137 appearances for the Potters, scoring five times, including the 2006/7 Goal of the Season for a fantastic 30 yard screamer against Coventry.

Simonsen, 31, joined on a free in July 2004 and was the clubs longest serving player before leaving on a free, and all arrows point to him signing for the Blades.

Once the most expensive British keeper ever, when he joined Everton for £3m, Simonsen was always reliable and will leave Potters fans with some great memories, most impressive in my mind being the double saev from an injury time penalty away at Cardiff on the opening day of the promotion campaign.

Although Simonsen only made five starts for the Potters last season, he later went on loan to Sheffield United after the club signed Asmir Begovic, he ha played more games for City than any other current squad member, 187, conceding 215 goals and keeping 58 clean sheets.

Irish international Lawrence is reportedly closing in on his move north of the border and the deal, worth a reported £2.25m, is set to be complete in the next few days, a move that is probably best for all concerned.

Lawrence was a bargain £500,000 buy from Sunderland three months into Tony Pulis' second spell in charge and he repaid the fee many times over, winning Player of the Season during the promotion campaign, scoring 15 goals and having over twenty assists during that campaign, before coming back from a nasty ankle injury to score the only goal of a home game with Blackburn with virtually guaranteed City's survival in their first season back in the top flight.

The midfielder fell out of favour in the last campaign but has still managed a total of 125 appearances for City, a figure eclipsed by only two members of the current squad, and scored an impressive 24 goals, again third highest in the current squad, with only Ricardo Fuller and Mama Sidibe ahead of him in both totals.