Craig Stone

Craig Brian Raymond Stone (born 29 December 1988) is an English footballer who works for Hastings United as a player-assistant manager.

For the author, see Craig Stone (author).

Craig Stone
Stone playing for Tonbridge Angels in 2018.
Personal information
Full name Craig Brian Raymond Stone[1]
Date of birth (1988-12-29) 29 December 1988
Place of birth Gravesend, England
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Hastings United (player-assistant manager)
Youth career
0000–2007 Gillingham
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2008 Gillingham 15 (0)
2008 → Brentford (loan) 6 (0)
2008–2009 Ebbsfleet United 23 (0)
2010 Maidstone United 4 (0)
2010–2013 Ebbsfleet United 112 (1)
2013–2015 Dover Athletic 62 (1)
2015–2017 Eastbourne Borough 79 (2)
2017–2019 Tonbridge Angels 32 (0)
2019 → Grays Athletic (loan) 5 (0)
2019– Hastings United 41 (3)
Managerial career
2019–2021 Gillingham (U18/U23)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:50, 3 November 2021 (UTC)

As a player, he came through the Gillingham youth ranks, making his league debut as a 16-year-old in the 2005–06 season and played in central midfield or at right-back.

Career

Stone joined Gillingham at the age of 10 and made his first appearance for the club in a 3–1 victory over Hartlepool United on 1 November 2005.[3][4] He signed his first professional contract in May 2007, a one-year deal with an option of another year.[3]

On 17 January 2008, Stone joined Brentford on a one-month loan, which was later extended for a second month.[5] On his return to Priestfield Stadium he still could not command a regular place in the team and he was released at the end of his contract and joined non-League club Ebbsfleet United in time for the 2008–09 season.[6] On 21 February 2009, he broke his leg in a match against Wrexham and was expected to miss the remainder of the season.[7][8] A group of Ebbsfleet supporters got together to help Stone pass the time whilst out injured by purchasing a PlayStation 3.[9]

In February 2010, Stone joined Isthmian League club Maidstone United in a bid to regain fitness before returning to the professional game.[10] He joined up with The Stones' caretaker management team of Pete Nott and Tony Cornwell, who coached him as a youngster. In August of the same year, he re-joined Ebbsfleet United.[11]

In June 2015, Stone signed a two-year deal to join Eastbourne Borough of the National League South.[12] He was released at the end of his contract and dropped back down to the Isthmian League Premier Division to join Tonbridge Angels in May 2017.[13][14][15] He left Tonbridge at the end of the 2018–19 season, having helped them to achieve promotion to the National League South.

Coaching

On leaving Tonbridge, he was scheduled to take up a player-coach role at Hastings United,[16][17] but he was subsequently offered the role of manager of the U18 and U23 teams at Gillingham, where he had already been coaching at the girls' academy.[18] He departed Gillingham in October 2021.[19]

In May 2023, Stone was promoted to the role of player-assistant manager at Hastings United.[20]

References
  1. "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/07/2011 and 31/07/2011" (PDF). The Football Association. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  2. "Craig Stone". 11v11.com. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  3. "Soccer Shorts: Daish completes double swoop | Kentish Football". Kentish Football. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  4. "Craig Stone | Football Stats | Eastbourne Borough | Season 2005/2006 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  5. "STONE JOINS BRENTFORD – Gillingham – News – Press Releases – Press Releases". premiumtv.co.uk. 18 January 2008. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  6. "BBC SPORT – Football – My Club – Ebbsfleet – Stone joins Charles at Ebbsfleet". bbc.co.uk. 22 June 2008. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  7. "BBC SPORT – Football – My Club – G – Ebbsfleet – Fleet's Stone suffers broken leg". bbc.co.uk. 21 February 2009. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  8. "Wrexham – News – Dragon News – Dragon News – Craig Stone Heads Home". wrexhamafc.co.uk. 23 February 2009. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  9. "The Fleet Trust » News » Craig Stone/Neil Barrett Donations Appeal". fleet-trust.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 August 2009. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  10. "football.mitoo". football.mitoo.co.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  11. "Ebbsfleet United sign Ashley Carew, Tyrone Sealey and Craig Stone". Kent Online. 11 August 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  12. "McCallum and Watts agree deals to stay at Eastbourne Borough". The Argus. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  13. "Stone Makes Angels Move – Pitchero Non-League". Pitchero Non-League. 18 May 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  14. "Appearances | Craig Stone | 2017–2018 | Football Web Pages". www.footballwebpages.co.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  15. "Appearances | Craig Stone | 2018–2019 | Football Web Pages". www.footballwebpages.co.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  16. "Hastings United | Appearances | Craig Stone | 2019–2020". Football Web Pages. Archived from the original on 19 July 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  17. "Hastings United | Appearances | Craig Stone | 2020–2021". Football Web Pages. Archived from the original on 19 July 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  18. "Former player Craig Stone takes on the under-18 and 23 role at Gillingham". 1 July 2019.
  19. Cawdell, Luke (16 October 2021). "Gillingham youth manager Craig Stone leaves the club". Kent Online. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  20. Hastings United F.C. [@hastingsufc] (17 May 2023). "NEW MANAGER The Club are delighted to announce that Paul Barnes has accepted the role as Manager of Hastings United FC 1st team and will start his role immediately. We are equally delighted to be able to confirm that Craig Stone,will become Player Assistant Manager 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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