Stockley at Ferencvárosi TC in July 2010. |
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Samuel Joshua Stockley[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 5 September 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Tiverton, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | F.C. New York | ||
| Number | 32 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–1996 | Southampton | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1996–2001 | Barnet | 182 | (2) |
| 2001–2002 | Oxford United | 41 | (0) |
| 2002 | → Colchester United (loan) | 10 | (1) |
| 2002–2006 | Colchester United | 130 | (2) |
| 2006 | → Blackpool (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2006–2008 | Wycombe Wanderers | 56 | (1) |
| 2008–2009 | Port Vale | 31 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | Ferencvárosi TC | 17 | (0) |
| 2011 | Telford United | 0 | (0) |
| 2011 | Droylsden | 1 | (0) |
| 2011– | F.C. New York | 10 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of June 10, 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Samuel Joshua "Sam" Stockley (born 5 September 1977 in Tiverton) is an English footballer currently playing for F.C. New York in the USL Professional Division.
A youth player at Southampton, he made his name at Barnet in the late 1990s. A short time at Oxford United was followed with a four year spell with Colchester United. He then spent two seasons with Wycombe Wanderers, before signing with Port Vale in May 2008. He announced his retirement as a professional player in November 2009. However he returned to the game in 2010 with Hungarian side Ferencvárosi TC, before becoming a non-league player in England with Droylsden via Telford United in 2011.
A veteran of the English third and fourth tiers, he made 457 appearances in the Football League between 1996 and 2010.
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Stockley began his career as a trainee at Southampton but was unable to break into the first team. He moved to Barnet during the 1996–97 season and went on to make over 200 appearances for the club before moving to Oxford United for a fee of £150,000 in July 2001.[2] Unable to settle at Oxford, he was loaned out to Colchester United at the start of the 2002-03 season,[3] before moving permanently on a free transfer in October 2002.[4] He made over 150 appearances for the club, including 58 of their 60 matches in the 2003-04 season,[5] before moving on loan to Blackpool late in the 2005–06 season.
After his release from Colchester,[6] Stockley moved to Wycombe Wanderers in July 2006.[7] He spent the 2006-07 season as the club's regular right back, but he also filled in as centre back and sweeper during tactical changes. He lost his place at right back to Russell Martin in the 2007–08 season but he was used as a left back on many occasions. In February 2008 he had a trial with American club Dallas.[8]
Stockley left Wycombe and signed for Port Vale in May 2008,[9] signing a two year deal. He was made Port Vale captain in July of that year.[10] By mid-season Stockley found himself regularly on the Vale bench but said; "I think that Port Vale haven't seen the best of me yet, but I believe they will because I'm really happy here".[11]
He managed to battle his way back into the first team and win back his captaincy during the latter part of the 2008–09 season.[12] He admitted that at times in the season he had considered retirement but after winning back his first team spot he was enjoying his football.[13]
He renegotiated his contract in August 2009 in order to gain more first team football in the 2009–10 season; a clause that entitled Stockley to a 12 month contract extension after fifty games was removed.[14] He started the season fighting with new signing Adam Yates for a regular place, but was transfer listed in late September, along with the entire Port Vale squad, after manager Micky Adams saw his team slip to a third consecutive defeat.[15] After twelve appearances in the campaign, the defender shocked Vale fans by announcing his retirement in November 2009, at the age of 32. He took the decision to retire on medical advice, having suffered an eye injury.[16]
"This has undoubtedly been the most difficult decision in my career and it's not one I've taken lightly. I've had 16 years in professional football and have some fantastic memories, but it's important I put my health and my family first. My eyesight is something which has been troubling me and, unfortunately, I've had to make the decision to stop playing."—Stockley explains his decision to retire.[17]
"I've had sixteen fantastic years playing at a professional level, playing for great managers, great clubs in front of some fantastic supporters and it has been fantastic... I get caught up with it, and have always said to the lads, when I finish football I want to walk away and I want people to say, you know, he was a real good lad, a real nice lad, he worked hard, he trained hard, he played hard and he was an okay player, and that is all I ever wanted."—Stockley reflects upon his career.[18]
In January 2010 he came out of retirement to sign with Hungarian club Ferencvárosi TC in a coaching capacity.[19]
In January 2011 he joined Conference North club Telford United.[20] However, without making a single first team appearance for the Bucks, Stockley signed for league rivals Droylsden in February 2011 - to the frustration of Telford manager Andy Sinton.[21]
Stockley studied broadcast journalism at Staffordshire University during his time at Port Vale, hoping to pursue a career in the media upon his retirement as a player,[16] specifically as a pitch-side reporter.[22] He made appearances on Soccer AM before he retired. During his time at Wycombe he also had his own column in the club programme.[23]
"I'm doing a degree in sports journalism, that's something which really interests me," he said on the day his decision to retire was made public knowledge... I don't mind talking a little bit and to talk about football, or any sport, just really interests me and it was an opportunity I wanted to take."—Stockley aiming for a career in journalism, in November 2009.[24]
He has completed his coaching badges at 'C' level and had originally planned to go into management.[25]
"Sam is an extremely driven character and I'm sure that he will be a huge success in whatever career he decides to pursue."—Port Vale boss Micky Adams speaking in November 2009.[16]
Stockley is currently the Director of Coaching at XL Soccer World in Raleigh, NC.
a. Football League Trophy results included in totals.
b. Play-off games included in totals
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