Demi Stokes

Demi Lee Courtney Stokes (born 12 December 1991) is an English professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Women's Super League 2 club Newcastle United.

Early life Stokes was born in Dudley, a town in the West Midlands; she is often incorrectly listed online as being born in South Shields, the area her family moved to in her youth. Stokes has three brothers and a sister, and grew up in a single-parent household.

She began playing football in primary school and captained the boy's team.

As a child, she played with Boldon CA girls' team, as did future England teammates Steph Houghton and Jill Scott; as part of the "Where Greatness Is Made" campaign, plaques honouring Stokes and Scott were installed at the club in 2022.

Club career

Sunderland Stokes joined Sunderland's youth academy as an 8-year-old and began playing in the first team at 16. She was part of the team which won the 2008–09 FA Women's Premier League Northern Division and came second in the 2009 FA Women's Cup, losing the final 2–1 to Arsenal.

During her time at Sunderland, she played alongside future international teammates Lucy Bronze, Jordan Nobbs, and Lucy Staniforth.

In 2012, she played 13 games for the Vancouver Whitecaps in the pro-am W-League.

Manchester City In January 2015, Stokes signed a three-year contract with Women's Super League club Manchester City. Stokes won a domestic double (the league title and Continental Cup) during her first full season at City.

In May 2017, Stokes started in the final of the Women's FA Cup as City won the title for the first time in the club's history.

In mid-2018, Stokes suffered a hip injury which prevented her from playing for eight months. She returned to the team as City secured their second domestic double, winning both the FA Cup and the Continental Cup. Stokes won her third FA Cup with the club in November 2020 in a behind-closed-doors final delayed by over six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In March 2021, Stokes signed a two-year contraction extension with City. In March 2023, she signed a contract extension for a further year.

In 2024, after 9 years at the club, it was announced that Stokes would leave Manchester City at the end of her contract on 18 May. At the time of her departure, she was the second longest serving player (behind retiring captain Steph Houghton) and one of only three players to have made over 200 appearances for the club. She won seven major honours with the club (a league title, three FA Cups, and three Continental Cups) and finished runner-up in the WSL a further seven times.

Newcastle United On 10 July 2024, Stokes joined Women's Championship club Newcastle United. Following the departure of Amber Keegan-Stobbs, Stokes was named as Newcastle's captain ahead of the 2025-26 season.

International career Youth teams In July 2009, Stokes was a part of the England under-19 squad who won the 2009 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship in Belarus. In 2010, she helped England reach the final of the 2010 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship in North Macedonia, where they lost their title to France. Later that summer, Stokes started two of England's three games at the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Germany. She made her senior debut during a 1–1 draw to Norway, starting at left back. In April 2014 she scored in England's 9–0 victory over Montenegro.

Stokes was not included in England's squad for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. She was restored to the squad for the subsequent UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying campaign.

She represented England at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. England were defeated in the semi-final by eventual champions the United States, and lost the third place play off to Sweden.

On 27 May 2021 it was announced that Stokes had been selected in the Great Britain women's Olympic football team for the 2020 Olympics.

In June 2022, Stokes was included in the England squad which won the UEFA Women's Euro 2022.

Stokes was allotted 183 when the FA announced their legacy numbers scheme to honour the 50th anniversary of England’s inaugural international.

Personal life Stokes is of Jamaican descent through her father.

She is openly gay. She became engaged to her partner, Katie, during the UK's COVID-19 lockdown.

In May 2022, shortly before her participation in and eventual victory at the Women's Euro, Stokes and her partner became parents. Their son was born six weeks premature.

Career statistics

Club

International updated|match played 12 October 2022

Manchester City FA WSL Cup: 2016, 2018–19, 2021–22 FA WSL: 2016 FA Cup: 2016–17, 2018–19, 2019–20

England

UEFA Women's Championship: 2022 SheBelieves Cup: 2019 Arnold Clark Cup: 2022

Individual PFA WSL Team of the Year: 2018, 2019 Freedom of the City of London (announced 1 August 2022)