Stacy Long

Stacy William Long (born 11 January 1985) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Long started his football career at Charlton Athletic in 1995 and progressed through the youth system, spending ten years on the club's books, and although a regular in the reserve team, he did not make a first-team appearance.

Long began his football career at Charlton Athletic in 1995 and progressed through the youth system at The Valley.

He signed a three-year professional contract in 2002 after impressing manager Alan Curbishley.

On signing the contract, Long said "signing a professional contract is what I have always wanted ever since I first came to the club and was playing for the under-8 and under-9 sides".

Before the start of the 2005–06 season, Long joined Notts County after being released from Charlton.

Despite featuring regularly for the reserve team, Long was released in May 2005, ending his ten-year association with the London club.

When released, Long said, "the club is in such a strong position now that it is difficult for young players to make the breakthrough".

Ahead of the 2005–06 season, Long joined Notts County on a one-year contract, following his successful trial at the club.

He made his debut for the club in a 1–0 victory over Wrexham on 9 August 2005, scoring the winning goal in the 90th-minute.

After playing in Notts County's 2–0 home win against Stockport County on 17 December 2005, Long made just four further appearances during the remainder of the season.

He played 23 times for Notts County during the 2005–06 season as they narrowly escaped relegation from the Football League, scoring two goals.

At the end of the season, he was one of seven players released by the club.

He spent one season at the club, before moving into non-league with Ebbsfleet United in July 2006.

Long subsequently joined Conference National club Gravesend & Northfleet on 26 July 2006.

He made his Gravesend debut as a substitute in a 1–0 victory over Woking on 21 October 2006.

He made 31 appearances during the 2006–07 season.

Long scored his first goal in the same season away at Kidderminster Harriers in a 2–1 victory on 3 March 2007.

Long continued playing regularly under Liam Daish in the club's 2007–08 season.

He played 47 games in all competitions and scored 14 goals from midfield, which included successive braces against Grays Athletic and Weymouth.

He played over 135 games for the club, helping them to FA Trophy success in May 2008.

Long represented England at various youth levels, as well as earning one cap for the England C team in 2008.

Long was also a regular player in the club's successful FA Trophy campaign the same season, playing in all seven games, including the 1–0 win against Torquay United in the final at Wembley Stadium on 10 May 2008.

The 2008–09 season saw Long play 49 games for the Kent club, scoring four times.

He joined Stevenage in June 2009, and helped the club earn back-to-back promotions from the Conference Premier to League One during his time there.

After being released by the newly renamed Ebbsfleet United at the end of the 2008–09 season, Long joined fellow Conference Premier club Stevenage on a one-year contract on 5 June 2009.

He made his debut for the Hertfordshire team in the opening game of the 2009–10 season, starting in a 1–1 draw with Tamworth on 8 August 2009.

Long found first-team opportunities limited in the first half of the season, playing just eight times in four months.

Long played 26 times during the club's 2009–10 season, scoring five goals, as Stevenage finished the season as Conference Premier champions.

However, after providing two assists in Stevenage's 4–1 win against Cambridge United on New Year's Day, Long scored his first goal for Stevenage in a 6–0 win over Vauxhall Motors on 19 January 2010.

Long played his first game of the 2010–11 season, Stevenage's first season in the Football League, in the club's 2–1 defeat to Portsmouth in the League Cup on 9 August 2010, playing 45 minutes of the match.

A month later, on 4 September 2010, he started his first game of the season, against Crewe Alexandra, but was sent-off in the 63rd minute of the match for two bookable offences.

He remained a regular starter throughout the remainder of 2010, scoring his first goal of the season in a 1–1 home draw against Shrewsbury Town on 23 November 2010.

Long played 30 games during the 2010–11 season, scoring three goals.

He scored in Stevenage's 3–1 win over Premier League club Newcastle United on 8 January 2011.

Long's shot from 25-yards out resulted in Stevenage's first goal, also providing the assist for Michael Bostwick's goal in the same game.

After three years at Stevenage, Long signed for AFC Wimbledon of League Two on a free transfer in June 2012.

He was released by Wimbledon a year later, and subsequently re-joined one of his former clubs, Ebbsfleet United, ahead of the 2013–14 season.

During his one season back at Ebbsfleet, Long spent time on loan at Eastbourne Borough.

He ended his playing career with Leatherhead of the Isthmian League Premier Division, before taking up a coaching role at Ebbsfleet in October 2015, a position he held until November 2018.