At the 1996 World Snooker Championship, Griffiths eliminated Jamie Burnett in a final frame decider, 10–9, in the first round, having trailed 0–6 and 5–9. In the second round, he lost to his old rival Steve Davis (whom he never defeated at the Crucible in six attempts), and then announced his retirement from the game to become the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association's Director of Coaching. Griffiths retired whilst 23rd in the rankings, the first year since his debut season that he had not been in the elite top 16. despite only entering the 1997 World Championship qualifiers in his final season as a professional. Clive Everton wrote that at the time Griffiths was "the only player to retire when his standard was still in touch with the circuit's top players." Griffiths won his qualifying match to play in the main tournament at the Crucible one last time, where he lost in the first round to fellow countryman and debutant Mark Williams, in another final-frame decider, 9–10. During his professional snooker career, Griffiths played a total of 999 frames at the Crucible.