Phil Stant Profile

Phil Stant might not have been one of the most successful managers at Lincoln City FC, but he is one of the most popular.

Stant, who was born on 13th October 1962 in Bolton, opted for a career in the army. He played for Camberley before joining Reading in 1982; fate would interrupt his football career as army life sent him into the midst of Falkland Islands War. Stant can recall many gruesome tales of the grim reality of war, and is currently hoping to make a documentary of life during the Falklands War.

In 1986, he left the army to turn professional with Hereford United, where he built his reputation as a proven goal scorer. After scoring 49 goals from 106 appearances, he was given his chance to try a higher level of football with Notts County, who paid £175,000 for him.

Thus began a life of journeying around numerous clubs, as he stayed just eighteen months at Notts County before signing for Fulham in February 1991.

During his spell at Notts County, he was loaned to Blackpool, Lincoln City and Huddersfield Town. He scored goals with ease at every club he played for - with the exception of Lincoln City of course!

Stant's time at Lincoln in November 1990 began badly as he recalls that then Imps' manager Allan Clarke seemed unable to remember which position Stant actually played! Hence one of the great Football league goal scorers of all time passed through Lincoln City's grasp.

Bizarrely for someone with a formidable reputation as a goal scorer, Stant kept switching clubs with as much ease as he scored goals. He stayed just six months at Fulham before signing for Mansfield Town in a £50,000 transfer.

Mansfield Town's supporters arguably witnessed Stant's peak, as he scored 33 goals from 65 appearances. This persuaded Cardiff City to pay £100,000 for Stant in December 1992. Loan spells at Mansfield and Northampton plus a permanent transfer to Bury followed before Stant returned to Lincoln City in December 1996.

Then Imps' manager John Beck paid Bury a £30,000 combined fee for Stant and Stuart Bimson. It proved a bargain as Stant formed one of the best striking partnerships ever seen at Lincoln City, when he combined with Gareth Ainsworth to help save Lincoln from relegation. This partnership would continue for the 1997/98 season, which led to automatic promotion for Lincoln City in 1998.

The curse that befalls all good strikers who play for Lincoln City struck Stant after Ainsworth left, and his goals dried up. Stant continued to play regularly for the Imps' reserves but was strangely not selected for the first team even though Lincoln were battling against relegation.

Stant's first managerial role came in November 1998 when he was appointed as assistant-manager to then Lincoln City manager John Reames. Stant would take charge of Lincoln City in June 2000 following Reames' decision to return to the boardroom.

A severe financial crisis saw Reames quit Lincoln City in November 2000, which left Stant's position very vulnerable because events on the pitch were not going well for Lincoln. Once the new board took over, the inevitable happened and Stant was dismissed as Lincoln City's manager in February 2001.

After leaving Lincoln, Stant joined Brighton and Hove Albion on non-contract terms to help them win promotion from Division 3. He then left to play for several non-league clubs before returning to management with Gainsborough Trinity first, and then Ilkeston Town. Stant is no longer a manager and now concentrates on his role as a PE teacher at Newark college.

Stant is one of the few former Lincoln City players to have written his autobiography. The book is entitled as "Ooh Ah Stantona" and is available to buy here.

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