Josh Stokes

Josh Stokes
Stokes playing for Reading in 2026
Personal information
Full name Joshua Dale Stokes
Date of birth (2004-04-29) 29 April 2004 (age 22)
Place of birth Shotley, England
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Reading
(on loan from Bristol City)
Number 28
Youth career
Ipswich Town
–2021 AFC Sudbury
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2023 AFC Sudbury 64 (15)
2023–2024 Aldershot Town 26 (13)
2024– Bristol City 0 (0)
2024 → Aldershot Town (loan) 19 (2)
2024–2025 → Cambridge United (loan) 32 (7)
2026 → Stockport County (loan) 20 (4)
2026– → Reading (loan) 2 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 11 July 2026 (UTC)

Joshua Dale Stokes (born 29 April 2004) is an English professional football player who plays as an attacking midfielder for EFL League One club Reading, on loan from EFL Championship club Bristol City.

Club career

AFC Sudbury

Stokes played for the Ipswich Town Academy, but was released aged 16. Following this, he joined the AFC Sudbury academy, but soon became a regular part of the senior team, playing most matches of the 2021–22 season.

Aldershot Town

On 7 July 2023, National League club Aldershot Town signed Stokes on a two year professional contract from AFC Sudbury for an undisclosed fee. He made a positive impact for the club in the first half of the 2023–24 season, scoring 16 goals in 31 appearances across all appearances.

Bristol City

Despite interests from various clubs such as Norwich City, on 22 January 2024, EFL Championship club Bristol City completed the signing of Stokes on a three-and-a-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee, reported to be £250,000. Stokes was immediately loaned back to Aldershot Town for the remainder of the 2023–24 season.

Stokes made his debut for Bristol City during an EFL Cup match on 13 August 2024 against Coventry City, coming on as a 69th minute substitute for Nahki Wells.

Cambridge United (loan)

On 21 August 2024, Stokes signed for EFL League One club Cambridge United on loan until the end of the 2024–25 season.

Stockport County (loan)

Stokes signed for EFL League One club Stockport County on 6 January 2026 until the end of the season helping them reach the 2026 EFL League One play-off final against Bolton Wanderers where they lost 4-1 to Bolton Wanderers at Wembley Stadium on 24 May 2026 with Stokes playing 65 minutes where he was replaced by Benoný Breki Andrésson after they beat Stevenage 3-0 on aggregate winning 1-0 at the Lamex Stadium on 9 May 2026 and 2-0 at Edgeley Park on 13 May 2026.

Reading (loan)

Stokes signed for EFL League One club Reading on a season-long loan from Bristol City on 10 July 2026.

Career statistics

As of match played 2 May 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
AFC Sudbury 2021–22 Isthmian League North 30410—10324
2022–23 Isthmian League North 341163—304314
Total 641573—407518
Aldershot Town 2023–24 National League 261343—103116
Bristol City 2023–24 Championship 000000—00
2024–25 Championship 000010—10
2025–26 Championship 000010—10
Total 000020—20
Aldershot Town (loan) 2023–24 National League 192———192
Cambridge United (loan) 2024–25 League One 327000021348
Stockport County (loan) 2025–26 League One 204——32103
Career total 161411162010318450
  1. ↑ Appearance in the Alan Turvey Trophy
  2. ↑ One appearance in the FA Trophy, two in the Isthmian League North Division play-offs
  3. ↑ Appearance in the FA Trophy
  4. 1 2 Appearances in EFL Trophy

Honours

Stockport County

References

  1. ↑ "EFL – Squad List 2024/25" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  2. ↑ "Josh Stokes - Fotmob". FotMob. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  3. ↑ Claydon, Russell (7 June 2023). "AFC Sudbury sell Josh Stokes to National League side Aldershot Town with pre-season friendly part of deal". Suffolk News. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  4. ↑ "New Signing: Josh Stokes". Aldershot Town F.C. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  5. ↑ Southwell, Connor (30 December 2023). "Norwich City transfer rumours: Aldershot's Josh Stokes". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  6. ↑ "Bristol City set to secure £250,000 midfielder deal ahead of Brentford, Coventry City". The 72. 22 January 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  7. ↑ "Josh Stokes: Bristol City sign Aldershot Town youngster for undisclosed fee". BBC Sport. BBC. 22 January 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  8. ↑ "Report: Bristol City 0–1 Coventry City (Carabao Cup)". 13 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  9. ↑ "Josh Stokes signs with U's on loan". 21 August 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  10. ↑ Ashton, Live ReportingBen; Speller, Glenn. "Bolton Wanderers 4-1 Stockport County: Bolton win League One play-off final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  11. ↑ "Josh Stokes: Reading sign Bristol City midfielder on season loan". BBC Sport. 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  12. ↑ "AFC Sudbury – Appearances – Joshua Stokes – 2021–2022". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  13. ↑ "AFC Sudbury – Appearances – Joshua Stokes – 2022–2023". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  14. 1 2 3 "Games played by Josh Stokes in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  15. 1 2 "Games played by Josh Stokes in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  16. 1 2 "Games played by Josh Stokes in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  17. ↑ "Luton Town 3–1 Stockport County: Line-ups". BBC Sport. 12 April 2026. Retrieved 2 May 2026.