He pulled on the captain’s armband for Dundee United and made 86 appearances for the Tangerines.
However, there is only one team Danny Griffin will be supporting at the William Hill Scottish Cup final on Saturday…and it isn’t United.
Instead, the Northern Irishman will put on his blue and white scarf and board a supporters’ bus at McDiarmid Park with his family before taking his seat among the St Johnstone fans at Parkhead.
It is not through any animosity towards the Tannadice side, with Griffin having spent 3 seasons with them.
Rather it is a strong family allegiance that will see the current Saints youth coach waste no time in picking sides for the big match.
“I am going with my family and I am going to be in the blue end,” said Griffin, who served Saints as a player from 1994 to 2000.
“It is the colour blue for me. My wife Kirsty has been a season-ticket holder for years, my mother-in-law too.
“Indeed, my wee girl Olivia was only six days old when she went to her first St Johnstone game and my wee boy Jamie was 10 days old when he went to his first match.
“Olivia is nine now and Jamie is five. They were mascots for the club last season and they are part of the Junior Saints club.
“My wee girl asked me: ‘If we win the semi-final against Aberdeen, can we go to the final?’
“You couldn’t say no to that. So all the strips are ready and looked out for Saturday and we are getting the bus from McDiarmid down to Parkhead.
“I am originally from Belfast but I feel it’s important to support your local team. Saints are my local team and I feel an affinity with this area.
“I am proud to say that I played for this club. “No matter where I have played since, I have always felt linked to the club.
“It’s a great occasion for not just my family but for every family associated with St Johnstone. It’s history in the making- the club’s first Scottish Cup final.
“So I’m going with my family to hopefully watch St Johnstone win the trophy.”
While star striker Stevie May has been talked up as the key to a possible Saints victory, Griffin believes there are other important areas and individuals to consider.
“Stevie has been scoring the goals but the key to success is the back four in my opinion,” said the former defender/midfielder.
“They have defended well all season as a unit and they have been the platform for success. They know each other’s jobs inside out.
“Alongside Stevie, there is another who does not get the credit he deserves Steven MacLean. He links up the play and has a great partnership with May.
“The front two are our first line of defence. They both work so hard and as soon as they are past the front two they have our midfield four waiting to harass them.
“It’s a team which works so hard for each other. Everyone rolls their sleeves up and it’s not about individual.
“Yes, Stevie gets the goals but he has got that work ethic too, which stretches right across the rest of the team.”
As for the opposition, Griffin cited Gary Mackay-Steven as perhaps the stand-out threat to Saints.
“United have got three or four individuals capable of tearing your apart with their skill,” he said.
“Mackay-Steven did it to Brian Easton here this season, for example, and he is a danger but there are 11 boys in blue shirts and they know they have a chance to make history.”
Griffin knows fellow Northern Irishman Tommy Wright well and he is backing the manager to lead the team to victory in his first season in charge.
“I first came across Tommy in the Northern Ireland side and he is a lovely guy,” said Griffin.
“He trains the players well, works them hard and gets the best out of his players. He treats everyone with respect. You just have to look at the results they achieved in Europe to see that he knows his stuff.
“He has continued to build this club to the point where he’s the first manager in history to reach the Scottish Cup final.
“I think he should have been manager of the year and Stevie May can also be disappointed at not winning the PFA award this season (May did pick up the Scottish Football Writers’ Association young player title).
“It’s maybe not been great timing (the voting) with the cup final still to come but I think everyone’s eyes are open to what Tommy has done for St Johnstone this season.”
Griffin was on Saints’ books when they last played in a final the 2-1 defeat to Rangers in the League Cup at Celtic Park in 1998 although he didn’t make the team that day.
He is hoping that they enjoy different luck when they go back to the home of the Hoops.
“The game was at Parkhead because Hampden was getting done up at that time but hopefully it’s a happier ending for the club,” he said.
“It’s a different competition and the Scottish Cup is the biggest cup you can win in Scotland.
“You get written off before you play Celtic or Rangers in a final but this is a first for St Johnstone and they have every chance.”