Gary Stanley

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Gary Stanley

| image =

| caption =

| fullname =

| height =

| position = Midfielder

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|3|4|df=y}}

| birth_place = Burton upon Trent, England

| death_date =

| youthyears1 = 19xx–1971

| youthclubs1 = Chelsea

| years1 = 1971–1979

| clubs1 = Chelsea

| caps1 = 109

| goals1 = 15

| years2 = 1979

| clubs2 = Fort Lauderdale Strikers

| caps2 = 20

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1979–1981

| clubs3 = Everton

| caps3 = 52

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 1981–1984

| clubs4 = Swansea City

| caps4 = 72

| goals4 = 4

| years5 = 1984–1986

| clubs5 = Portsmouth

| caps5 = 47

| goals5 = 1

| years6 = 1986–1988

| clubs6 = Wichita Wings (indoor)

| caps6 = 51

| goals6 = 2

| years7 = 1988–1989

| clubs7 = Bristol City

| caps7 = 10

| goals7 = 0

| years8 =

| clubs8 = Waterlooville

| caps8 =

| goals8 =

}}

Gary Stanley (born 4 March 1954) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder in the Football League for Chelsea, Everton, Swansea City, Portsmouth and Bristol City.{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player1/garystanley.html |title=Gary Stanley |work=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |access-date=28 September 2009}} He also played in the North American Soccer League with Fort Lauderdale Strikers{{cite web |url=http://www.nasljerseys.com/Rosters/Strikers_Rosters.htm#1979 |title=North American Soccer League Rosters Ft. Lauderdale/Minnesota Strikers |work=NASL Jerseys |publisher=Dave Morrison |access-date=29 September 2009}} and in the Major Indoor Soccer League with Wichita Wings.

Career

Stanley started his career with Chelsea, where he turned professional in 1971 and made his league debut at the age of 21, on 16 August 1975 in a 2–1 defeat away to Sunderland in the Second Division.{{cite web |url=http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=43779 |title=Gary Stanley – Chelsea FC |work=Football Heroes |publisher=Sporting Heroes Collection Ltd |access-date=28 September 2009}} He helped the club to promotion to the First Division in the 1976–77 season, and remained with Chelsea until their relegation in 1979, when, after a summer in the NASL with Fort Lauderdale Strikers, he joined Everton for a fee of £300,000.{{cite web |url=http://www.swanseacity.net/page/PastPlayers/0,,10354~1304525,00.html |title=Past Players: S |publisher=Swansea City A.F.C. |date=9 November 2007 |access-date=28 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091207123353/http://www.swanseacity.net/page/PastPlayers/0%2C%2C10354~1304525%2C00.html |archive-date=7 December 2009 }} He failed to show his Chelsea form with Everton, and moved on to Swansea City two years later for £150,000.{{cite web |url=http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=43780 |title=Gary Stanley – Everton FC |work=Football Heroes |publisher=Sporting Heroes Collection Ltd |access-date=28 September 2009}} Stanley won the Welsh Cup twice with Swansea, in 1982 and 1983, before spending two years with Portsmouth and three seasons in the MISL with the Wichita Wings. He returned to England in 1988 and spent a season with Bristol City before moving into non-league football with Waterlooville. After retiring as a player he worked for NTI Communications.