Adam Stansfield

Hereford United On 14 June 2004, Stansfield returned to the Conference with Hereford United, signed by Graham Turner to replace their previous season's top scorer Steve Guinan, who had been sold to Cheltenham Town. He scored 20 goals across the season, including two on 25 March 2005 in a 6–0 win at Farnborough Town. In that match, he came on in the 77th minute for Daniel Carey-Bertram, who had also scored two. Hereford reached the promotion play-offs, where they lost in the semi-finals to Stevenage. In the following season they won promotion by the play-offs, with Stansfield starting in the final on 20 May 2006 at the Walkers Stadium in Leicester, a 3–2 extra-time victory over Halifax Town.

Exeter City On 12 June 2006, with his contract expired, Stansfield decided to remain in the Conference, joining Exeter City. He told local radio that his aim was not to achieve promotion or reach a certain tally of goals, but to influence the club's younger players. Eleven days later, in the second leg of the play-off semi-final away to Oxford United, he scored a goal which took the match to extra time and eventually a penalty shootout which his side won. In the final on 20 May at Wembley Stadium, he came on as a 36th-minute substitute for goalscorer Lee Phillips in a 1–2 loss to Morecambe.

On 26 April 2008, Stansfield scored in Exeter's 4–4 draw at Burton Albion which qualified them for that season's play-offs. He started in the final, whereby the team returned to The Football League for the first time in five years with a 1–0 Wembley win over Cambridge United.

He scored 10 goals in 37 league games as they won a second consecutive promotion into League One in the 2008–09 season. This included consecutive braces on 27 September and 4 October, in wins over Macclesfield Town (4–1 away) and Gillingham (3–0 home). The following campaign, despite never having previously played at as high a level, he was a regular starter for Exeter in League One, scoring eight goals in a season curtailed by his cancer diagnosis. He featured in the 2002 edition of the Four Nations Tournament, and made his debut in England's opening match, a 1–1 draw with Wales at York Street in Boston on 14 May. In 2005, while back in the Conference with Hereford, he was again called up for the tournament by manager Paul Fairclough. Stansfield played in two matches

Illness and death Stansfield suffered from persistent abdominal pain in the early part of 2010, and was admitted to hospital for tests at the end of March. On 8 April 2010, Exeter City confirmed to the media that he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Manager Paul Tisdale told local news programme BBC Spotlight that "there's little good on this subject... but if there's someone who can deal with it and meet it head on with real purpose, Adam's the man".

Later that month, Stansfield underwent surgery to remove part of his colon. Club vice-chairman Julian Tagg reported that the operation was successful, and that Stansfield appeared happy and was making jokes. He joined the Exeter squad for the first day of pre-season training in July, appearing weak from chemotherapy. His condition deteriorated rapidly and he died on 10 August in Exeter, with his death being announced shortly after Exeter's loss to Ipswich Town in the League Cup.

As a mark of respect, Dagenham & Redbridge postponed the game Exeter were due to play against them at Victoria Road four days after his death. Exeter retired his shirt number 9 for nine seasons. His son, Jay Stansfield, wore the number 9 shirt for Exeter City, when he was on loan from Fulham in the 2022–23 season.

Stansfield's body was taken from St James Park to his funeral service at Exeter Cathedral on 25 August, attended by more than 1,000 mourners. A private family service was held later.

Posthumous recognition At his funeral, Stansfield's widow Marie had an idea to set up the Adam Stansfield Foundation, which by the fourth anniversary of his death had raised over £150,000. It works in offering children football in Devon, Somerset and Herefordshire, the three counties in which he played professionally, as well as increasing opportunities for the disabled to take part in the sport. The foundation also aims to increase awareness of bowel cancer.

Stansfield continues to be remembered by fans of his former teams. On 9 August 2014, as Exeter started the new season against Portsmouth, a giant flag resembling his club shirt was displayed by the crowd. Exeter and Yeovil agreed that on their meeting at St James Park on 8 August 2015, there would be a minute's applause in the seventh minute and ninth, for the numbers he wore at each club. Earlier the same day, there was also a match between the two clubs' supporters in Topsham, Devon, to raise funds for his foundation.

In March 2011, Elmore named their new stand at Horsdon Park after Stansfield, ahead of a game against Hengrove Athletic. The match attracted over 100 fans, ahead of a usual average of 35. From 2011 to 2015, an aeroplane belonging to Flybe bore an image of Stansfield, with other aeroplanes belonging to the company featuring such former footballers as George Best and Kevin Keegan. In 2015, Stansfield was featured on £5 Exeter Pound notes in the city. In recognition of his achievements at Exeter City, Stansfield was in 2017 inducted into the Exeter City Hall of Fame alongside Sidney Thomas, Graham Rees and Peter Hatch. In 2018 Exeter City named their new stand the Stagecoach Adam Stansfield Stand.

Stansfield‘s death and legacy is referenced in the Minnie Birch song Show Me the Way to Go Home.

Career statistics

Honours Yeovil Town FA Trophy: 2001–02 Football Conference: 2002–03

Hereford United Conference National play-offs: 2006

Exeter City Conference National play-offs: 2008

England semi-professional Four Nations Tournament: 2005