Chris Stokes (footballer)

Last updated

Chris Stokes
ChrisStokes@FGRFC.jpg
Stokes playing for Forest Green Rovers during the 2012–13 season
Personal information
Full name Christopher Martin Thomas Stokes [1]
Date of birth (1991-03-08) 8 March 1991 (age 32) [2]
Place of birth Frome, [2] England
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) [3]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
Morecambe
Number 15
Youth career
2005–2009 Bolton Wanderers
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2009–2010 Bolton Wanderers 0 (0)
2010Crewe Alexandra (loan) 2 (0)
2010–2015 Forest Green Rovers 133 (7)
2015Coventry City (loan) 16 (1)
2015–2018 Coventry City 72 (2)
2018–2019 Bury 37 (4)
2019–2020 Stevenage 25 (0)
2020–2021 Forest Green Rovers 39 (2)
2021–2023 Kilmarnock 30 (4)
2023– Morecambe 11 (0)
International career
2007 England U17 6 (0)
2013 England C 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:53, 03 March 2022 (UTC)

Christopher Martin Thomas Stokes (born 8 March 1991) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Morecambe.

Contents

Club career

Early career

Stokes played for Southampton and Bristol City youth teams before joining Bolton Wanderers at the age of 14 for an undisclosed fee.

Bolton Wanderers

He captained the Wanderers at youth level during their successful run to the Youth Cup quarter finals in the 2008–09 season, scoring a penalty against Liverpool at Anfield and was a regular in Bolton's reserve team. [4]

Crewe Alexandra (loan)

[5] On 12 March 2010, he signed for Crewe Alexandra on a one-month loan deal, [6] making his debut two days later in a 1–1 draw with Torquay United and played 90 minutes. [7]

On 11 May 2010, Stokes was released by Bolton Wanderers following the expiry of his contract. [8] On 21 July 2010, Stokes opted to quit his trial period at Crewe to take up a similar opportunity at Walsall, however was not offered a contract by Saddlers manager Chris Hutchings.

Forest Green Rovers

Stokes played for Conference club Forest Green Rovers' reserve team as part of a trial, [9] On 11 November 2010, he signed for Forest Green, initially on a non-contract basis. [10]

It took until 19 February 2011 for Stokes to make his Forest Green debut in a 1–1 home draw against Darlington. [11] After impressing in his first few months at Forest Green, Stokes was offered a new contract for the 2011–12 season. [12]

On 24 August 2011 it was announced that Stokes had been included in the England C Squad to face the India national under-23 football team side on 6 September. [13]

Despite scoring his first goal for the club in a pre season friendly with Hellenic Premier Division side Slimbridge in August 2011, Stokes scored his first league goal for Forest Green in a 3–0 win over Bath City on 29 August 2011. [14]

In January 2012, he signed an extension to his contract at Forest Green which would keep him at The New Lawn until the end of the 2013–14 season. [15] On 21 April 2012 it was announced at the final home game of the 2011–2012 season that Chris has been voted Supporters player of the season by the Forest Green Rovers fans. [16] On 6 December 2012, Stokes signed a further extension to his contract at Forest Green, keeping him at the club until June 2015. [17] At the end of the 2012–13 season Stokes earned a call up to the England C squad for a forthcoming international with Bermuda. [18]

He made his hundredth Conference league appearance for Forest Green on 26 August 2013 in an away win over Chester. [19]

In January 2015, it was reported that he had been allowed by Forest Green to train with League One side Yeovil Town. [20] It was revealed a week later though that he would not be moving to Yeovil. [21] He then began training with fellow League One side Coventry City in February 2015. [22]

Coventry City (loan)

On 21 February 2015, Stokes signed a 28-day loan deal at Coventry City. [23] He made his debut on the same day in a 2–2 draw against Sheffield United. [24] [25]

In only his second game for Coventry, he scored a header against league leaders MK Dons to help Coventry to secure their first home win since October 2014, and to help them climb out of the relegation zone. [26] [27] He impressed making it into the Football League team of the week. [28] After impressing in his first seven games for Coventry, his loan was extended to the end of the 2014–15 season. [29]

He helped Coventry retain their League One status before the completion of his loan. On 4 May 2015, it was confirmed that he had been released by parent club Forest Green Rovers at the end of his contract. [30]

Coventry City

On 30 June 2015, Stokes signed a one-year contract with Coventry City. [31]

Bury

After three years at Coventry in which he helped the club to promotion and the 2016–17 EFL Trophy, he joined Bury on a free transfer on 16 July 2018, signing a two-year contract with the Shakers. [32]

Stokes helped Bury secure promotion to league 1 finishing 2nd in the league 2 table during the 2018-2019 season, making it back to back league 1 promotion for Stokes. [33]

Stevenage

Stokes left Bury on 2 July 2019 to join Stevenage. [34]

During his short spell at Stevenage Stokes helped keep 11 clean sheets in the 30 games he started. [35]

Forest Green Rovers (2nd spell)

On 31 January 2020, Stokes re-joined Forest Green Rovers on a short-term deal. [36]

Stokes' slotted straight into the team starting every league game before the season came to a premature end due to the global pandemic Covid-19 in March 2020, this was following an impressive display away at Swindon where Forest Green toppled the league two leaders, coming away with a deserved 0-2 victory and Stokes earning Man of the Match. [37] He was released by Forest Green at the end of the 2020-21 season.

Kilmarnock

In June 2021, Stokes signed a two-year contract with Scottish Championship side Kilmarnock. [38]

Morecambe

Following his release from Kilmarnock, Stokes returned to England, signing for Morecambe in June 2023. [39]

International career

Stokes was capped by England at under-17 level. [40]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 03 March 2022
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeague FA Cup League Cup OtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bolton Wanderers 2009–10 [41] Premier League 00000000
Crewe Alexandra (loan) 2009–10 [41] League Two 2020
Forest Green Rovers 2010–11 [42] Conference 140140
2011–12 [43] [44] Conference452102 [lower-alpha 1] 0482
2012–13 [44] [45] Conference364212 [lower-alpha 1] 0405
2013–14 [44] [46] Conference2001000210
2014–15 [44] [47] Conference181003 [lower-alpha 1] 0211
Total133741701448
Coventry City (loan) 2014–15 [47] League One 161161
Coventry City 2015–16 [48] League One362101000382
2016–17 [49] League One7000002 [lower-alpha 2] 090
2017–18 [50] League Two30020003 [lower-alpha 3] 0350
Total893301050983
Bury 2018–19 [51] League Two37420103 [lower-alpha 2] 0434
Stevenage 2019–20 [52] League Two25020003 [lower-alpha 2] 0300
Forest Green Rovers 2019–20 [52] League Two5000000050
2020–21 [53] League Two29200102 [lower-alpha 2] 1323
Total342001021373
Kilmarnock 2021–22 [54] Scottish Championship 192105020192
Career total330181417024137620
  1. 1 2 3 Appearances in FA Trophy.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Appearances in EFL Trophy.
  3. One appearance in EFL Trophy; two in EFL League Two play-offs.

Honours

Coventry City

Bury

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