Gareth Stoker Explained

Gareth Stoker
Birth Date:22 February 1973
Birth Place:Bishop Auckland, England
Youthyears1:1990–1991
Youthclubs1:Leeds United
Years1:1991–1993
Years2:1995–1997
Years3:1997–1999
Years4:1999
Years5:1999
Years6:1999–2003
Years7:2003–2004
Years8:2004–2006
Years9:2006–2008
Clubs5:Scarborough (loan)
Clubs9:Wakefield
Caps1:30
Goals1:2
Caps2:58
Goals2:6
Caps3:36
Goals3:4
Caps4:12
Goals4:1
Caps5:17
Goals5:4
Caps6:123
Goals6:2
Caps7:23
Goals7:0
Caps8:23
Goals8:5

Gareth Stoker (born 22 February 1973 in Bishop Auckland) is an English former professional footballer. Playing as a midfielder Stoker represented a number of clubs both in the Football League and at various levels of non-League football.

Playing career

Stoker started as a youth team player at Leeds United but was not offered terms and instead turned professional with Hull City in 1991. He subsequently featured for Hereford United before an £80,000 move to Cardiff City in January 1997. Stoker enjoyed a good start to his career at the club, scoring twice in his first two months in Cardiff.[1] However ultimately he struggled for form at the Bluebirds and missed months of football after suffering a cruciate ligament injury in March 1998.[2]

Given a free transfer in February 1999, Stoker signed for Rochdale although, despite scoring in the league game against Cambridge United,[3] he was loaned out to Conference National side Scarborough in September of that year. The move was made permanent just before Christmas and Stoker remained at the club until 2003.

Coaching career

He subsequently appeared for Forest Green Rovers and Leigh RMI[4] before joining Wakefield in October 2006 as player-assistant manager. In May 2008 he took up the position of assistant manager at Ossett Town, having ended his playing career.[5]

Notes and References

  1. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_19970309/ai_n14461183/ Five-star Cardiff
  2. Web site: Cardiff City Online Monthly Newfile March 1998 . 8 January 2011 . 8 July 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110708120418/http://www.cardiffcity.com/Newsfile_archive/newsfilemarch98.htm . dead .
  3. http://www.cambridgeunited.com/98-99/reports/roch_h989.html Cambridge United v Rochdale
  4. News: Starbuck latest signings . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20040811165035/http://www.leighrmi-mad.co.uk/news/loadnews.asp?cid=TMNW&id=164322 . 11 August 2004 . LeighRMI-Mad.co.uk . Leigh Railway Mechanics Institute Football Club . 30 June 2004 . 3 April 2020.
  5. Web site: Gareth Stoker Ossett Town . 8 January 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20040901175353/http://www.oncloudseven.com/stoker-g.htm . 1 September 2004 . dead .