Sunderland’s £4m transfer flop finds new club as ex-Wigan Athletic and Chesterfield player seals move
Will Grigg has secured a fresh start after a career that included an expensive and disappointing spell at Sunderland.
Former Sunderland striker Will Grigg has joined National League side Forest Green Rovers, seven years after his costly move to Wearside became one of the club’s most disappointing transfers.
The 35-year-old has signed on a free transfer from Chesterfield, penning a contract running until June 2028. He will wear the number 31 shirt and could make his debut against Barrow. For Sunderland supporters, Grigg remains associated with a January 2019 deadline-day deal that promised much but delivered little.
Signed from Wigan Athletic in a deal reported to be worth up to £4million, the Northern Ireland international was expected to provide the goals to help Sunderland escape League One. Instead, he scored just eight times in 62 appearances, struggling to reproduce the form that had helped Wigan win two third-tier titles.
His arrival represented a significant investment at that level, making the lack of goals particularly damaging. Sunderland remained in League One, while Grigg’s opportunities dwindled. Loan spells at MK Dons and Rotherham United followed before he left Sunderland and joined MK Dons permanently in July 2022.
There were occasional bright moments on Wearside, including his goal against Bristol Rovers in the EFL Trophy semi-final, but his spell fell well short of expectations. Grigg subsequently enjoyed greater success at Chesterfield, helping the club win the National League title in 2024. He now returns to that division with Forest Green, bringing experience of more than 500 EFL appearances and a goalscoring reputation built largely away from his difficult spell at Sunderland.
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