| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Dean Anthony Stokes | ||
| Date of birth | 23 May 1970 | ||
| Place of birth | Birmingham, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Rochdale | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| Castleton Gabriels | |||
| Armitage 90 | |||
| Redditch United | |||
| 1992–1993 | Halesowen Town | ||
| 1993–1998 | Port Vale | 60 | (0) |
| 1998–2000 | Rochdale | 30 | (0) |
| Leek Town | |||
| Alsager Town | |||
| Total | 90+ | (0+) | |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2007–2008 | Alsager Town | ||
| 2009– | Rochdale Town | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Dean Anthony Stokes (born 23 March 1970) is an English former footballer, currently manager at Rochdale Town.
A former professional with Port Vale and Rochdale, he has spent times with numerous non-league clubs, before moving into management in 2007.
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Stokes was a quick left-back, who after failing to make the grade at Rochdale played for non-league sides Castleton Gabriels, Armitage 90, Redditch United and Halesowen Town.[1]
He returned to the Football League in January 1993, signing for John Rudge's Port Vale of the Second Division. Halesowen Town eventually received £5,000 in payment, as a result of appearance clauses.[1]
His professional debut came on 18 December 1993, at the age of 23, in a 1–1 draw with Burnley at Vale Park. He enjoyed regular football for the rest of the 1993–94 promotion winning season, though did lose his place in April.[1]
After undergoing ankle surgery in August 1994, he hardly played in Vale's 1994–95 First Division campaign. He hardly featured in the 1995–96 season either, though did come back into first team plans in March 1996.[1] He played in the 1996 Anglo-Italian Cup Final, as Vale lost 5–2 to Genoa.
One of the most successful seasons in Port Vale's history was 1996–97, Stokes played eleven games, ten of which were in the league.
In 1997–98, he again appeared infrequently with just nine games that season, he was allowed to leave upon its conclusion. He in fact returned to the club of his youth – Rochdale, who were as ever, in the basement division.
After eleven games of 1998–99, he was injured again.
For the first time in a long time, Stokes enjoyed consistent football in 1999–2000. He played 26 games, six of which were cup encounters. However at the age of 30 he dropped out of the Football League to play for Leek Town.[2]
A veteran of the non-leagues, Stokes became player-manager of Alsager Town in 2007. He quit the post in March 2008.[3]
In June 2009, he was made head coach at Rochdale Town.[4]
As of December 2011, Stokes works at Abraham Moss High School as a P.E teacher.