{{short description|English footballer}} {{Use British English|date=June 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}} {{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 = 1989-1990 | clubs8 = Welton Rovers | caps8 = | goals8 = | years9 = 1990-1991 | clubs9 = Waterlooville | caps9 = | goals9 = }} '''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.<ref name=NB>{{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}}</ref> He also played in the North American Soccer League with Fort Lauderdale Strikers<ref name=NASLJ>{{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}}</ref> and in the Major Indoor Soccer League with Wichita Wings.<ref name=NB/>
==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.<ref name=SHC>{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref name=NASLJ/><ref name=Swansea>{{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 }}</ref> He failed to show his Chelsea form with Everton, and moved on to Swansea City two years later for £150,000.<ref name=SHE>{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref name=NB/><ref name=Swansea/> He returned to England in 1988 and spent a season with Bristol City before moving into non-league football with Waterlooville.<ref name=NB/> After retiring as a player he worked for NTI Communications.<ref name=Swansea/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/S/Stanley.Gary.htm NASL/MISL stats] {{1976–77 Football League Second Division PFA Team of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stanley, Gary}} Category:Living people Category:1954 births Category:Footballers from Burton upon Trent Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Chelsea F.C. players Category:Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977–1983) players Category:Everton F.C. players Category:Swansea City A.F.C. players Category:Portsmouth F.C. players Category:Wichita Wings (MISL) players Category:Bristol City F.C. players Category:Waterlooville F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players Category:Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) players Category:English expatriate sportspeople in the United States Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States Category:English expatriate men's footballers