Stokes has iced in Gillingham since his very first season as an U16 in 2002/03 and has enjoyed a long and settled position on the blue line in his hometown rink spanning 22 years. Across several seasons he iced for the U16s, U19s and U18s as well as the Invicta Mustangs, but it was the 2008/09 season that saw his career with the Mustangs step up and he continued to play for them across the next 15 years, bar 2 seasons where he did not play, serving as both Captain and Alternate Captain along the way.
An injury sustained in the summer of 2022 was a defining moment for the defenceman and after a period of reflection he decided the time was right to step up to the Mos, joining us in November of that year. A short period of acclimatisation to NIHL1 hockey soon saw Stokes find his feet and grow in confidence. In the 24 games he iced for the club, that season, he assisted in 5 goals and accumulated 24 minutes in penalty points.
Stokes subsequently returned in the 2023/24 season and proved himself as dependable and committed, icing in almost all our games and was a reliable presence on and off the ice. He featured in 38 games, scoring 1 goal and assisting in another whilst spending 13 minutes in the penalty box.
About to enter his third term with us there is no doubt Stokes is a valued and loyal Mo and we look forward to him pulling on the jersey and returning to the lineup, come September.
‘Stokesy has been with us now for the past couple of seasons and is a popular figure in the team. He’s extremely committed, giving his all every time he trains and plays, and I love having him around. I’m delighted to have him back and I know he can’t wait to get going”.
Head Coach Karl Lennon