Anthony Stokes facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about the Irish footballer. For the Guernsey cricketer, see Anthony Stokes (cricketer). For the English footballer, see Tony Stokes.

Quick facts for kids
Anthony Stokes
Personal information
Stokes with Persepolis in 2020
Full name	Anthony Christopher Stokes
Date of birth	(1988-07-25) 25 July 1988 (age 36)
Place of birth	Dublin, Ireland
Height	1.80 m
Playing position	Striker
Youth career
2002–2003	Shelbourne
2003–2005	Arsenal
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2005–2007	Arsenal	0	(0)
2006–2007	→ Falkirk (loan)	16	(14)
2007–2009	Sunderland	36	(3)
2008–2009	→ Sheffield United (loan)	12	(0)
2009	→ Crystal Palace (loan)	13	(1)
2009–2010	Hibernian	40	(22)
2010–2016	Celtic	135	(58)
2016	→ Hibernian (loan)	14	(5)
2016–2017	Blackburn Rovers	8	(1)
2017–2018	Hibernian	18	(7)
2018	Apollon Smyrni	4	(0)
2018–2019	Tractor	23	(11)
2019	Adana Demirspor	6	(1)
2020	Persepolis	1	(0)
2020	Livingston	0	(0)
Total		326	(123)
National team^‡
2006–2010	Republic of Ireland U21	10	(4)
2008	Republic of Ireland B	1	(0)
2007–2014	Republic of Ireland	9	(0)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 16:19, 16 July 2019 (UTC)

Anthony Christopher Stokes (born 25 July 1988) is an Irish former professional footballer. He played as a striker.

He started his senior career with Arsenal. He became well-known during a successful loan spell with Falkirk in 2006. There, he scored 14 goals in 16 Scottish Premier League games. He then joined Sunderland for £2 million. However, he found it hard to keep a regular spot in their first team.

Stokes returned to Scottish football when Hibernian signed him for £500,000 in August 2009. He scored over 20 goals in his only full season there. Next, Stokes moved to his childhood favorite team, Celtic, for about £1.2 million. He played often for Celtic under manager Neil Lennon and had a lot of success. But he played less under Ronny Deila. Later in the 2015–16 season, he was loaned back to Hibernian. He helped them win the 2015–16 Scottish Cup.

After playing one season with Blackburn Rovers, Stokes joined Hibernian for a third time in 2017. He was released in 2018. He then had short times with Greek club Apollon Smyrni, Iranian clubs Tractor and Persepolis, and Turkish club Adana Demirspor. He came back to Scotland with Livingston in 2020. Stokes also played for the Republic of Ireland at under-21 level. He played in nine full international games for the senior team between 2007 and 2014.

Club Football Journey

Arsenal Days

Born in Dublin, County Dublin, Stokes joined the Arsenal reserve team at just 15 years old. He played his first game for the senior team as a substitute. This was in a League Cup match against Sunderland on 25 October 2005. He came on in the 88th minute of a 3–0 win.

Loan to Falkirk

Arsenal agreed to loan Stokes to Falkirk. He played for the Scottish Premier League (SPL) team until the end of 2006. Stokes scored his first goal for Falkirk in a 1–0 win against Inverness Caledonian Thistle. This was on 19 September 2006 in the Scottish League Cup. On 28 October, he scored his first hat-trick (three goals in one game) in Falkirk's 5–1 victory over Dundee United.

Stokes then scored another hat-trick in the next match against Dunfermline Athletic. This meant he had scored nine goals in just four games. He was the first player to score hat-tricks in two SPL games in a row. He scored a third hat-trick in his last game for Falkirk. This was a 3–1 home win over Inverness CT on 30 December. His great form led to him being named Young Player of the Month for October and November. By the end of his loan, Stokes had scored 16 goals in 18 games.

Sunderland Time

Stokes moved from Arsenal to Sunderland for £2 million in January 2007. Celtic and Charlton Athletic were also interested. But Stokes said he was greatly influenced by Sunderland manager Roy Keane. Stokes made his Sunderland debut a few days later. He helped Sunderland win 1–0 against Ipswich. Stokes scored his first goal for Sunderland on 10 February 2007 against Plymouth Argyle. He scored from 20 yards after coming on as a substitute.

Stokes scored his first Premier League goal, a last-minute winner against Derby County. This goal helped Sunderland move out of the relegation zone. On 23 September 2008, Stokes scored two late goals. This helped level a League Cup game against Northampton Town.

Loan to Sheffield United

On 17 October 2008, Stokes agreed to a three-month loan deal with Sheffield United. Stokes played his first game for the Blades in a local derby against Sheffield Wednesday. He started as a regular player but was soon moved to the bench. He returned to Sunderland after playing 12 games without scoring.

Loan to Crystal Palace

In March 2009, Stokes joined Crystal Palace on loan. He scored a solo goal after his first start against Preston North End. This was his only goal for Palace. He returned to Sunderland when his loan ended.

Hibernian Return

Stokes joined Hibernian for about £500,000 in August 2009. This meant he worked again with John Hughes, his manager at Falkirk. Stokes played his first game for Hibs against his old club, Falkirk. He said Hughes was the main reason he signed for Hibs. He scored his first goals for Hibs in a 3–0 home win against St Johnstone on 19 September.

In December, Stokes scored five goals in three games. This helped Hibs stay unbeaten in the SPL for 12 games. On 27 December 2009, Stokes scored the fastest goal in Scottish Premier League history. It was just 12.4 seconds into the game against Rangers. This broke the old record of 17 seconds. His good form earned him the SPL Young Player of the Month award for December 2009. Stokes kept scoring many goals during the 2009–10 season. He won the goal of the season award from the SPL for a goal against Rangers in November 2009.

Celtic Years

2010–11 Season

Stokes playing for Celtic against St Mirren, November 2010

On 31 August 2010, Stokes signed a four-year contract with Celtic. He played his first game for Celtic on 11 September 2010, in a 3–0 win against Hearts. He scored his first goal for the club in his second game on 19 September. This was the winning goal in a 2–1 victory against Kilmarnock. Stokes scored two goals in a League Cup game against Inverness Caledonian Thistle in a 6–0 win. He scored another two goals in the quarter-final against St Johnstone in a 3–2 win.

On 6 November, Stokes scored his first hat-trick for Celtic in a record 9–0 win over Aberdeen. After scoring, Stokes said he dedicated the goals to Celtic legend Henrik Larsson. Another former Celtic striker, Chris Sutton, praised the teamwork between Stokes and Gary Hooper. He said their link-up play was a "huge positive" for Celtic.

2011–12 Season

On 24 July 2011, Stokes scored in Celtic's first game of the 2011–12 season. It was a 2–0 win over Hibernian. On 15 October, Stokes scored twice in six minutes. This helped Celtic get a 3–3 draw against Kilmarnock. Celtic had been 3–0 down at half-time. Stokes' two goals, one a long shot and one a free-kick, were key to their comeback. Manager Neil Lennon later said that if Celtic had lost that match, he might have resigned.

On 3 November, Stokes scored two goals in Celtic's 3–1 win over Stade Rennes. This was in the group stages of the Europa League. He then scored and assisted a goal in Celtic's next game, a 2–1 win over Motherwell. On 9 January, he scored a hat-trick in Celtic's 3–0 win over Peterhead in the League Cup. On 3 May, Stokes scored the only goal as Celtic beat St Johnstone 1–0.

2012–13 Season

Anthony Stokes playing for Celtic, 2012

Stokes played his first game of the 2012–13 season as a substitute. This was in a Champions League qualifier against HJK Helsinki. Stokes then started the next game against Aberdeen. He then got an injury that kept him out for five months. He returned in January 2013 as a substitute in a league game against Dundee United. Stokes scored his first goal of the 2012–13 season against Kilmarnock on 30 January. He scored twice against Dundee United two weeks later. Stokes provided both assists for Gary Hooper's two goals in the first half of the 2013 Scottish Cup Final. This was against his former club Hibs. He also won the man-of-the-match award as Celtic won 3–0.

2013–14 Season

Stokes scored his 50th goal for Celtic with a late free kick to beat Dundee United on 31 August 2013. He signed a new three-year contract with Celtic in October. On 5 January 2014, Stokes reached another milestone. He scored his 100th career goal in a 4–0 away win at St Mirren. Stokes had a slower start to the season, scoring only seven goals in 30 games. However, when Leigh Griffiths joined in January, Stokes' form improved. They formed a strong partnership.

Stokes was sent off against Motherwell on 18 January. But after his suspension, he scored seven goals in nine games. This included a hat-trick against St Johnstone. Stokes helped Celtic win the league title on 26 March. He scored twice in a 5–1 away win at Partick Thistle. The first goal was his 100th in Scottish football. The second was a great volley into the top corner. Stokes scored another hat-trick on 27 April in a home league game against Inverness Caledonian Thistle. He also assisted a goal for Leigh Griffiths in a 6–0 win. A week later, Stokes scored his 20th goal of the season in a 5–2 home win over Aberdeen.

2014–15 Season

Stokes scored a goal in each of Celtic's first two league games of the season. These were 3–0 and 6–1 wins over St Johnstone and Dundee United. However, he scored fewer goals this season than before. This was mainly because new manager Ronny Deila played him on the left wing. This was different from his usual position as a striker. Stokes' performances were sometimes not very good. He was also disciplined by the club for returning late from a trip to Dublin.

Stokes continued to play on the left wing for Celtic. From his cross, Kris Commons scored the first goal on 15 March 2015. This was in Celtic's 2–0 win over Dundee United in the League Cup Final. A few days later, Stokes assisted Jason Denayer's first goal in a 4–0 win over Dundee United. This was in a Scottish Cup quarter-final replay. However, Stokes was sent off later in the same game for elbowing a United player.

2015–16 Season

Before Celtic's first league game on 1 August 2015, manager Ronny Deila told Stokes he was not part of his future plans. By October, he had only played two first-team games. In most games, he did not even make the substitutes' bench. Deila again mentioned issues with his discipline. On 29 November, after not making the bench for a game, Stokes showed his frustration on Twitter. These tweets led to Celtic suspending Stokes for two weeks. Deila said he showed a "lack of respect."

Loan to Hibernian

Stokes (furthest right) celebrating for Hibernian

On 15 January 2016, it was reported that Stokes would join Hibernian on loan for the rest of the season. He scored a late goal on his return to Hibs in a 3–1 win over St Mirren. At the end of the season, Stokes scored two goals in the 2016 Scottish Cup final. He was named man of the match as Hibs won 3–2 against Rangers. This was their first win in the competition in 114 years.

Blackburn Rovers

On 17 June 2016, Stokes signed a three-year deal with Blackburn Rovers. On 6 August, he scored on his Blackburn debut in a 4–1 loss to Norwich City. He then scored two goals in the EFL Cup first round against Mansfield Town. In July 2017, Blackburn and Stokes agreed to end their contract.

Hibernian (Third Time)

Stokes signed a two-year contract with Hibernian in August 2017. He scored two goals in his first start for the club against Ayr United. This was in the Scottish League Cup on 8 August 2017. Stokes scored 11 goals in 21 games during his third time with Hibs. But he was removed from the first team in January 2018 for breaking team rules. He was released from his contract on 30 January.

Apollon Smyrni

On 7 February 2018, Stokes signed with Super League team Apollon Smyrni. This was an 18-month deal. Stokes soon had problems again. He went missing from training for a week in April 2018. The club said they were looking into ending his contract legally.

Tractor

Stokes (left) playing for Tractor against Saipa in August 2018

In July 2018, Stokes signed a two-year contract with Tractor in Iran. He scored on his first game, a 1–1 draw with Nassaji on 3 August. On 28 September, he scored four goals in a 6–0 win over Esteghlal Khuzestan. On 25 October 2018, after scoring ten goals in nine games, Stokes extended his contract with Tractor.

In November 2018, Stokes went back to Ireland with his team's permission. This was for personal reasons. However, he did not return within the agreed time. He came back later that month. But a week before the mid-season break, he left again for Dublin for the same reasons. The club offered to help him by letting his family live with him in Tabriz. This did not convince Stokes to return. Tractor reported him to FIFA to end his contract. In January, Stokes decided to come back and play until the end of the season.

Adana Demirspor

On 16 July 2019, Stokes signed for Turkish club Adana Demirspor. This was a two-year contract, with an option for a third. However, on 27 November, the club announced that his contract was ended. He had only played six games and scored one goal.

Persepolis

Stokes making his debut for Persepolis in Tehran derby.

On 25 January 2020, Stokes signed a six-month contract with Iranian champions Persepolis. Stokes chose number 10. But because of rules, a number belongs to only one person in a competition. Since Farshad Ahmadzadeh wore number 10, Stokes chose number 32 for the season. He would wear number 10 from the start of the 2020 AFC Champions League.

After Persepolis' match on 18 February, he got permission to stay in United Arab Emirates for one more day. He wanted to visit his son. After staying longer than allowed, he said he would not return to Iran. This was because of the coronavirus pandemic there. His club fined him. On 30 May, Persepolis said his contract was ended because he was absent. The club would seek money from him.

Livingston

On 22 August 2020, Stokes signed a one-year deal with Scottish club Livingston. He left on 15 September without playing for the club. He did not like training on artificial pitches.

Playing for Ireland

Stokes played for the Republic of Ireland at youth levels. He joined the under-21 team in August 2006.

Stokes earned his first full cap for the Republic of Ireland national football team. This was in their 2–1 win away to San Marino on 7 February 2007. He came on as a substitute in the 80th minute. He earned three full caps in 2007. But he was not chosen in 2008 or 2009. His good form with Hibernian earned him a recall in May 2010. Stokes scored the only goal in a practice match against an Ireland under-23 team.

In May 2011, Stokes left the Ireland squad for the 2011 Nations Cup. He said he was tired. Manager Giovanni Trapattoni was disappointed. He said a footballer should only leave a national squad if they were "in hospital or dead." However, he also said he would still consider Stokes for future games. In February 2012, Stokes said he thought it was unlikely he would be picked for Ireland's squad for UEFA Euro 2012. This was despite playing well for Celtic.

Stokes was called back to the Ireland squad in October 2013. This was after Trapattoni left. He played his fifth game in a 0–3 loss away to Germany. This result ended Ireland's hopes of getting into the 2014 World Cup. He also played four days later in a 3–1 home win over Kazakhstan. Stokes played two more games in November 2013. These were friendly games against Latvia and Poland. He played his last game for Ireland in November 2014. This was a 4–1 win over the United States in Dublin.

Personal Life

Stokes went to secondary school at Terenure College, Dublin.

Career Statistics

Stokes celebrating a goal with Tractor in 2018

Club Games

Club	Season	League		National Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
Club	Season	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Arsenal	2005–06	—		—		1	0	—		1	0
	2006–07	—		—		—		—		—
	Total	—		—		1	0	—		1	0
Falkirk (loan)	2006–07	16	14	—		2	2	—		18	16
Sunderland	2006–07	14	2	—		—		—		14	2
	2007–08	20	1	—		1	0	—		21	1
	2008–09	2	0	—		1	2	—		3	2
	Total	36	3	—		2	2	—		38	5
Sheffield United (loan)	2008–09	12	0	—		—		—		12	0
Crystal Palace (loan)	2008–09	13	1	—		—		—		13	1
Hibernian	2009–10	37	21	4	1	2	1	—		43	23
	2010–11	3	1	—		—		2	0	5	1
	Total	40	22	4	1	2	1	2	0	48	24
Celtic	2010–11	29	14	3	0	3	5	—		35	19
	2011–12	34	12	4	4	4	3	5	2	47	21
	2012–13	17	5	4	2	1	0	1	0	23	7
	2013–14	33	20	2	1	1	0	10	0	46	21
	2014–15	21	7	4	1	4	0	9	0	38	8
	2015–16	1	0	—		—		1	0	2	0
	Total	135	58	17	8	13	8	26	2	191	76
Hibernian (loan)	2015–16	14	5	6	4	1	0	4	0	25	9
Blackburn Rovers	2016–17	8	1	2	0	2	2	2	1	14	4
Hibernian	2017–18	18	7	—		3	4	—		21	11
Apollon Smyrni	2017–18	4	0	—		—		—		4	0
Tractor	2018–19	23	11	1	2	—		—		24	13
Adana Demirspor	2019–20	6	1	0	0	—		—		6	1
Persepolis	2019–20	1	0	0	0	—		2	0	3	0
Livingston	2020–21	0	0	0	0	—		0	0	0	0
Career total		326	123	30	15	26	19	36	3	418	160

International Games

Republic of Ireland
Year	Apps	Goals
2007	3	0
2008	0	0
2009	0	0
2010	0	0
2011	1	0
2012	0	0
2013	4	0
2014	1	0
Total	9	0

Football Achievements

Club Trophies

Sunderland

Football League Championship: 2006–07

Celtic

Scottish Premiership: 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15
Scottish Cup: 2010–11, 2012–13
Scottish League Cup: 2014–15

Hibernian

Scottish Cup: 2015–16

Individual Awards

Scottish Premier League Young Player of the Month: October 2006, November 2006, December 2009
Clydesdale Bank Premier League Goal of the Season: 2009–10 vs. Rangers