- Craig Stones
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Craig Stones Personal information Full name Craig Stones Date of birth 31 May 1980 Place of birth Scunthorpe, England Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Playing position Midfielder Club information Current club Sleaford Town Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 1996-2000 Lincoln City 21 (0) 1999-2000 →Grantham Town (loan) 2000-2001 Spalding United 2000-2003 Brigg Town 2002-2003 Gainsborough Trinity 2002-2007 Brigg Town 2006-2009 Sleaford Town 2009-2010 Bottesford Town 2010- Sleaford Town * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 01:57, 23 December 2008 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).Craig Stones (born May 31, 1980 in Scunthorpe, England) is a former professional footballer who plays for Sleaford Town. His predominant position is in the centre of midfield.
Career
Stones made his Football League debut for Lincoln City as a 72nd minute substitute for Worrell Sterling in the 4-0 home victory over Swansea City on 5 April 1997. Stones was aged just 16 years 309 days old and, at the time, the third youngest player to appear for the club in the Football League: he is currently the fourth after Jack Hobbs, Shane Nicholson and Carl Dawson.[1][2] He spent the end of the 1999-2000 season on loan at Grantham Town, debuting in the 1-0 home defeat to Burton Albion on 1 April 2000 and making a total of seven league appearances for the club, scoring a solitary goal in the 6-0 home victory over Atherstone United on 8 April 2000.[3] It was no surprise that, after just 21 league appearances in three seasons as a professional, he was released by the Sincil Bank based club at the end of season.[4]
He dropped out of professional football to sign with Spalding United before moving onto Brigg Town in March 2001. Having spent some time with the club during the pre-season[5] in November 2002 Stones signed for Gainsborough Trinity who were under the command of his former Lincoln coach Phil Stant.[6] He made his Northern Premier League debut for the club in the 2-1 home victory over Colwyn Bay on 23 November 2002 and made a further eight league appearances, scoring a single goal in the 4-2 home victory over Worksop Town on 26 December 2002, before returning to Brigg Town in February 2003.[7] He helped Brigg to secure the FA Vase that season, appearing in the 2-1 final victory over AFC Sudbury at Boleyn Ground on 10 May 2003.[8]
He moved to Sleaford Town in November 2006.[9] Stones was forced to miss the entire 2007-2008 season after breaking his leg in two places just two minutes into a friendly with Lincoln Moorlands Railway on 7 July 2007, the first fixture at Sleaford's new Eslaforde Park ground.[10] He returned to fitness ahead of the 2008-2009 season.[11] He departed Sleaford Town in July 2009 to link up with his one-time Brigg Town manager Ralph Clayton at Bottesford Town.[12] He remained with the club for a single season before returning to Sleaford Town ahead of the 2010-11 season.[13] Outside of football, Stones works as a Senior Valuer in the Lincoln residential office of estate agents Pygott and Crone.[14]
References
- ^ "Teenager Hobbs makes history". Lincoln City F.C. Official Website. 17 January 2005. http://www.redimps.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10440~613644,00.html. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
- ^ "Appearances - Football League". Lincoln City F.C. Official Archive. http://www.redimps.com/archive3/index.mv?cat=theplayers&drop=matchsearch. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
- ^ Jon Barnes, The Who's Who of Grantham Town Football Club, pp. 167, Gingerjonny Publications, 2005.
- ^ "Stant takes over at Lincoln". BBC Sport. 28 June 2000. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/lincoln_city/791211.stm. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
- ^ "Trinity newcomers retain trophy". NonLeagueDaily.com. 23 July 2002. http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=5015. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
- ^ "Stant recruits". NonLeagueDaily.com. 21 November 2002. http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=7226. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
- ^ "Trinity clear out". NonLeagueDaily.com. 24 February 2003. http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=8917. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
- ^ Metcalf, Rupert (11 May 2003). "Carter and Steer deliver the Brigg time". London: The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/carter-and-steer-deliver-the-brigg-time-590374.html. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
- ^ "Stones could be the key to promotion". NonLeagueDaily.com. 20 November 2006. http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=38634. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
- ^ "Horror injury marrs pre-season friendly". Lincolnshire Echo. 10 July 2007. http://www.sportsecho.co.uk/football/sleaford_town/news_and_reports/displayarticle.php?ID=385. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
- ^ "Stones return will be like signing a new player". NonLeagueDaily.com. 14 July 2008. http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=51343. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
- ^ "Clayton bolsters Bottesford squad". Scunthorpe Telegraph. 6 July 2009. http://www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk/barton/news/Clayton-bolsters-Bottesford-squad/article-1222914-detail/article.html. Retrieved 2009-09-25.
- ^ "Call-offs hamper Rowland's preparations". NonLeagueDaily.com. 9 August 2010. http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=68863. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
- ^ "Pygott and Crone - Staff Contact Craig Stones". http://www.pygott-crone.com/showstaff/38. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
External links
Categories:- Living people
- 1980 births
- People from Scunthorpe
- English footballers
- Lincoln City F.C. players
- Grantham Town F.C. players
- Gainsborough Trinity F.C. players
- The Football League players
- Brigg Town F.C. players
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