Robbie Stockdale

Robert Keith Stockdale (born 30 November 1979) is a football manager and former professional footballer who is assistant manager of EFL League Two club Gillingham

As a player, he was a defender from 1997 to 2012.

At the age of around 15 he converted to a right back and graduated to Middlesbrough's senior squad in 1997.

He made over 70 Premier League appearances for Middlesbrough and scored 2 goals in games against Watford and Chelsea, as well as earning five international caps for Scotland.

He had several loan spells during his time at Middlesbrough, to clubs such as Sheffield Wednesday and West Ham United.

Stockdale won five international caps for Scotland, all in 2002.

Towards the end of his playing career, he became Grimsby's youth team manager and briefly served as caretaker manager.

Although initially representing England at U21 level, Stockdale earned several call-ups to the Scotland team in 2002 whilst a Premier League regular for Middlesbrough.

He was handed his Scotland debut by Berti Vogts in a 2–1 home defeat against Nigeria on 17 April 2002.

In that same year he also played in defeats against Denmark, South Korea and South Africa as well as a 4–0 victory over Hong Kong.

In 2004, Stockdale moved to Rotherham United after a successful loan spell in which he scored once against Burnley.

He became an integral part of their defence, but the club and manager Ronnie Moore could not keep hold of Stockdale and several months later, midway through the 2004–05 season he left Rotherham to move to another part of Yorkshire.

Stockdale signed for League One side Hull City and played out the season at the KC Stadium, but after the end of the league campaign he lost his place in the squad.

After a troubled 2005–06 season when he failed to make a league appearance for Hull.

Stockdale was signed on a two-year contract by his former Rotherham boss Ronnie Moore for Tranmere Rovers in a £100,000 deal which also brought Kevin Ellison to the club.

He made 35 league appearances during his debut season of 2006–07.

Stockdale continued to be first choice at right back during the 2007–08 season, but was released by the club at the end of the campaign.

He notably played Premier League football for Middlesbrough having also appeared as a professional for Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham United, Rotherham United, Hull City, Darlington and Tranmere Rovers before joining Grimsby Town in 2008.

Stockdale signed a two-year deal with Grimsby Town under Alan Buckley in June 2008 and was the first new signing for The Mariners in for the 2008–09 campaign.

He made his debut on 19 July in a pre-season friendly against Oldham Athletic at Blundell Park, and went on to score his first goal in a 2–1 defeat to Morecambe in the FA Cup.

By this time Grimsby were under new stewardship following the sacking of Buckley in September 2008, with the club bringing in Mike Newell as his replacement.

Following an injury spell in mid season, Stockdale remained on the sidelines for several months while his position was covered by Jamie Clarke.

He managed a return to the first team in the closing months of the season and cemented his place at right back, eventually helping The Mariners stave off the threat of relegation from the Football League.

During the 2009–10 season Stockdale suffered a hernia injury that kept him sidelined again for several months and would only see him compete 9 times during that season in which right sided attacking midfielder Peter Bore was deployed as the club's first choice right back which would eventually see him be awarded the "Fans Player of the Season".

The club had not appointed a new youth team boss since promoting Neil Woods to first team manager following the sacking of Mike Newell in November 2009.

Grimsby suffered relegation from the Football League in May 2010 and a month later Stockdale signed a new contract to keep him at Blundell Park for a further season but in the contract was the introduction of Stockdale as the new youth team manager as well as continuing to make himself available for selection as a player.

Grimsby manager Neil Woods handed Stockdale the number 39 shirt for the 2010–11 Conference National season as cover for Bore and Bradley Wood.

In June 2010 Stockdale signed a new deal with The Mariners, where he also became the club's youth team manager as well as staying on as a player.

Stockdale was kept on the playing records as well for the 2010–11 season and was handed a squad number to be used as cover for Peter Bore, Bradley Wood and Dwayne Samuels who were the club's other contracted players who are capable of playing in Stockdale's position.

On 18 January 2011 Stockdale played his first competitive match in 18 months when he was called upon to start in the 2–1 home win over Kettering Town, the game would be his final competitive match.

Stockdale and assistant manager Dave Moore took caretaker control of the first team for the home tie with AFC Wimbledon on 5 March 2011, following the sacking of Neil Woods.

The game ended in a 2–1 victory for The Mariners in what was Moore's first managerial match in fifteen years and Stockdale's first ever game as a manager.

Stockdale and Moore relinquished managerial duties on 23 March to the newly-appointed duo of Paul Hurst and Rob Scott following two victories, one draw and one defeat.

He held this position until 2012 where he took up a similar role with Sunderland.

Stockdale continued to manage the youth team at the club until stepping down on 29 August 2012.

On 29 August 2012 Stockdale became a youth team coach of Premier League side Sunderland.

He subsequently moved up to coaching the first team and managed the club three times on a caretaker basis, before he left Sunderland in 2018.

He has since worked as a coach for Hibernian and West Bromwich Albion.

In 2021 he took over his first full time managerial position with Rochdale, he was dismissed on 18 August 2022.

Stockdale began his youth career at Middlesbrough and originally played as a forward.