The 31-year-old, who initially moved to the Academy Stadium in the summer of 2015, has made 199 appearances in all competitions for City to date, scoring seven goals from defence.
A UEFA European Championships winner with England last summer, the full-back has lifted seven trophies during her time in Manchester so far, including three Continental Tyres League Cups, three Women’s FA Cups and one Barclays Women’s Super League title.
And following the conclusion of the 2022/23 campaign, Stokes has put pen to paper on a deal that will see her remain a City player until the summer of 2024.
.@DemiStokes stays! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/JOgWOgBY15
— Manchester City (@ManCity) June 28, 2023
Speaking about her contract extension, she said: “I’m really happy to have signed a new deal and I can’t wait to get going again.
“Given how last season was for me personally, I’m so grateful to have been given the opportunity to keep doing what I love doing, and that’s playing for Manchester City.
“It was a difficult season for me last year, but I feel like this will be a reset button that will allow me to kick on. I’ll be working hard throughout the summer on everything, and I’m really looking forward to next season.
“I’ve always said that Manchester City is my home, so it was a no-brainer to extend my stay here for myself and my family.”
Head Coach Gareth Taylor added: “We’re really pleased that Demi has extended her stay with the Club.
“Her experience is hugely valued here at Manchester City, and although this past season has been a little up and down for her on the pitch, she has remained an important part of our team behind-the-scenes.
“The impact she has had on the Club since joining in 2015 is clear to see, and almost 200 appearances speaks volumes about what she has achieved so far in a City shirt.
“She still has a lot to offer and we’re really looking forward to continuing our work together.”
Consistency, quality, longevity
The term ‘unsung hero’ is frequently bandied about in the footballing world, but Manchester City’s number three fits the bill seamlessly.
Never one to sing her own praises or bask in her achievements (however impressive), Demi Stokes has diligently gone about her business at the Academy Stadium for almost eight and a half years.
Seven major honours and two PFA Team of the Year inclusions later, she’s more than proven her worth during that time.
The second longest serving member of the squad and on the cusp of becoming only the third women’s player in our history to make 200 appearances for the Club, the 31-year-old has remained at the top of a game that continues to rapidly develop year on year.
Indeed, with a quick turn of pace complemented by an impressive tenacity and timing in the tackle, Stokes remains one of the Barclays Women’s Super League’s finest in her position in a 1v1 situation.
However, the demands on defenders in the modern era to get involved in build-up play and, particularly the full-backs at City, to shift into central positions when in possession is a weighty expectation to shoulder.
But thanks to her wealth of experience and calm, collected demeanour, it’s a pressure that our number three has not only adapted to but has ultimately thrived under.
It’s not just an on-field adaptation that Stokes believes she’s made in recent months though.
Indeed, a campaign disrupted by a combination of injuries and illness was frustrating for Stokes, but her influence on her team-mates remained as important as ever, even when she wasn’t able to contribute on the pitch.
“We’ve got loads of young players so it’s about helping them but equally it’s about pushing myself and being a leader in the team,” she told City Studios in her contract extension interview.
“I found that out when I was injured and couldn’t play as much, it’s important to have little conversations with people and keep encouraging them.”
That mindset, where adversity is used as an opportunity to grow, goes a long way to explaining Stokes’ remarkable consistency for the Club over the past nine seasons.
It also suggests that the defender will make an equally significant mark in the years to come.
