Date / Year of birth: 12th January 1989

Position: Midfielder

Season of first appearance: 2008/09

Season of last appearance: 2012/13

Also played for: Ebbsfleet United, Whitstable Town, Wivenhoe Town, Maidstone United, KA Akureyri (Iceland), Thurrock and Hythe Town

Energetic Maidstone-born midfielder who started his career in Conference club Ebbsfleet's youth set-up. Dan was given a first team squad number for the 2007/08 campaign and in October 2007 he was loaned out to Whitstable.

Dan played alongside future Margate loanee John Akinde for the Oystermen and made ten appearances (three as sub) in the Isthmian League Division 1 South, scoring once in a 3-3 draw at Corinthian Casuals on 16.10.07.

In February 2008 Dan began a loan spell with Wivenhoe of the Isthmian League Division 1 North at the same time as future Margate player Lee Maskell was farmed out to the club by Ebbsfleet. Dan made eight appearances (four as sub) without scoring before returning to Stonebridge Road in March 2008.

After going back to Ebbsfleet he featured in some Kent Senior Cup ties which included a 4-1 win at Margate on 26.3.08. The Isle of Thanet Gazette said Dan was "excellent" and "the best player on the pitch".

In the summer of 2008 he signed for Margate after being released by Ebbsfleet and Dan played in most of Margate's pre-season matches, scoring what the Isle of Thanet Gazette described as a "cracker" from 25 yards in a 1-1 draw at Whitstable on 22.7.08. Manager Barry Ashby told the paper "It was a great strike, a half-volley on the left foot, but that's what he's capable of. I don't think we've seen the best of him yet because he's tried to do too many people's jobs. If he sees someone out of position, he'll try and help out, where he's such an honest and nice lad. He needs to be a bit more selfish and think about his own position more."

Dan made his competitive debut aged 19 in a 2-1 defeat at Carshalton in the Isthmian League Premier Division on 16.8.08 - the opening day of the 2008/09 campaign - and the Thanet Times said he "worked his socks off in midfield". He was a fixture in the side for the next few months and on 4.10.08 Dan scored his first goal in a 3-2 defeat against Hastings United at Hartsdown Park. He thumped home a half-volley from 25 yards and the Thanet Times said it was "a hell of a strike".

Dan got his second goal of the season in a 3-2 defeat at Billericay on 1.11.08 and started each of Margate's first 18 matches in midfield up to and including a 2-0 defeat at Horsham on 8.11.08. After that he had a run of just three starts from 12 games although he was used as a substitute seven times in that period. He came off the bench to score with a left footed volley from the edge of the penalty area in a 2-1 home defeat against Staines on 29.11.08 and after wearing the number seven shirt in a 2-0 win over visitors Ashford (Middlesex) on 24.1.09 Dan was ever-present for the remainder of the campaign.

On 28.2.09 he played at left-back in a 2-0 defeat at Wealdstone and Dan made a few more appearances in that role during the closing months of the season. He was back in midfield on 13.4.09 as Margate beat rivals Ramsgate 1-0 at Hartsdown Park and the Isle of Thanet Gazette said he "showed plenty of energy". The Thanet Times then described Dan as "a proper terrier in midfield" in its report on a 2-0 home win over Sutton on 18.4.09 and he ended the campaign having scored three goals from 44 outings (seven as sub) as Margate finished in the relegation zone of the Isthmian League Premier Division.

Dan was included on Margate's retained list for the 2009/10 season but in July 2009 manager Terry Yorath told the Your Thanet newspaper "I offered him a contract and he has taken a decision not to sign so at the moment he is not in my thoughts. Some people over value themselves. People like Dan Stubbs and some others didn't have a club at the end of last season and after finishing in the relegation zone this year, I'm not going to reward people for that with more money." Yorath also spoke to the Thanet Times about Dan and said "I offered him a new contract on the same wages as last season and he said no, so he's left the club."

Dan ended up joining his hometown club Maidstone later in the summer of 2009 and he made six Isthmian League Premier Division appearances (five as sub) during the early part of the 2009/10 campaign, scoring once in a 2-1 home defeat against Tooting & Mitcham on 29.8.09. At the start of October 2009 Dan was released by the Stones and rejoined Margate.

He made the first appearance of his second spell with the club as a substitute in a 2-0 defeat at Canvey Island in the Isthmian League Premier Division on 10.10.09 and the Thanet Times said Dan "looked good on his Margate return". The paper also said he "was just about the only player to have a go at Canvey in the 15 minutes or so he was on the park" and Dan then featured again as a sub in a 3-1 defeat at Wealdstone in the FA Trophy on 17.10.09. The Thanet Times said "he again looked lively".

Dan made his first start in midfield in a 2-1 defeat at Hastings on 7.11.09 and he then wore the number 11 shirt in each of the next six matches. On 29.11.09 he scored his first goal with a low curling shot in a 3-2 defeat against Cray at Bromley and the Thanet Times described Dan's effort as being "well-taken". On 16.12.09 he scored twice in the dying minutes of an Isthmian League Cup tie at Sittingbourne as Margate lost 3-2 having been 3-0 down but Dan then missed the next two games.

He returned to action as a substitute in a 1-1 draw with Ashford (Middlesex) at Hartsdown Park on 16.1.10 and in Margate's next match - against Horsham at Horsham YMCA on 23.1.10 - Dan played up front. The Thanet Times said he "had his best game of the season, buzzing about all over the place" as the game finished 3-3 and from then on Dan was a fixture in the side, usually playing in midfield.

On 6.2.10 he got his fourth goal of the season in a 3-2 home defeat against Hendon and in its report on a 2-1 defeat against visitors Canvey Island on 20.2.10 the Thanet Times said Dan "put in a fair old shift getting up and down the park".

On 9.3.10 he played at left wing-back as Margate beat Tooting & Mitcham 2-1 at Hartsdown Park and Dan set up Leroy Huggins' headed winner. The Isle of Thanet Gazette said he "did a smashing job" and Iain O'Connell told the paper "I'm so pleased for Stubbsy who's played two games out of position for me now. He took 10 minutes to get used to it on Tuesday but he started the move for our second goal and put the cross in for Leroy (Huggins). I've not seen many players with his energy." Dan then started the next four games in the number three shirt.

After a three match spell back in midfield he resumed his wing-back duties in a 0-0 draw at Tonbridge on 5.4.10 and Dan continued in the role for the last five games of the season as Margate avoided relegation despite finishing in the Premier Division drop zone again. He won the 'Supporters' Player of the Year' award and in all Dan had made 33 appearances (four as sub), scoring four times.

At the start of May 2010 he decided to join Icelandic 2nd Division club KA Akureyri for the summer and Iain O'Connell told the Isle of Thanet Gazette "Dan Stubbs is one I want to keep but he's gone out to Iceland to play, so I won't have him back until mid-September. I believe he got a call from an old pal and I don't blame him for going out there. Apparently it's a Conference-standard league and he's only young, so it could do him good."

Dan made his debut for KA Akureyri in a 2-1 win at Trottur Reykjavik on 9.5.10 and set up the first goal with a cross. He then played regularly through to September 2010 and later said "It was a great experience and it was one of those things I'll never forget. Standard-wise it was like the Conference but a lot less physical."

Having returned to England Dan joined Conference South club Thurrock towards the end of October 2010 but early in November 2010 he rejoined Margate for a third spell.

He made his first appearance in midfield in a 1-0 home defeat against Bury in the Isthmian League Premier Division on 6.11.10 and in his next outing on 9.11.10 Dan scored in a 1-1 draw at Tonbridge, finding the net with a strike from just outside the penalty area.

From then on he was a fixture in the Margate side and in its report on a 3-2 win over Sutton at Hartsdown Park on 13.11.10 the Thanet Times said Dan's "pace and energy down the left raised Margate to another level". The paper also described his display a "immense".

On 10.1.11 Dan played as a left wing-back in a game at Wealdstone and scored the only goal of the game with a rasping rising shot from the edge of the box. It was the start of a run at left wing-back and on 25.1.11 Dan was sent off in a 1-1 draw with visitors Hendon. He made another three starts wearing the number three shirt but after a 1-0 home defeat against Billericay on 5.2.11 Dan began a suspension and at the start of March 2011 he went back to Maidstone without featuring for Margate again. He'd scored twice from 16 appearances (one as sub) before his departure.

Dan's second spell with Maidstone saw him score three times in 11 Isthmian League Premier Division outings during the remainder of 2010/11 as they were relegated and the Stones player-manager at the time was former Margate star Jay Saunders.

In July 2011 Dan rejoined Margate to begin a fourth stint with the club and manager Chris Kinnear told the Isle of Thanet Gazette "Stubbsy works very hard and is an all-action player who gives everything. He just needs a little direction and it'd down to me and Jake Leberl to give him that. He's maybe been allowed to do his own thing too much in the past but that's not his fault." Dan told the paper "I've played under a few managers in the past so when I heard that Chris (Kinnear) was interested in getting me back I was delighted."

A few days before the start of the 2011/12 season Chris Kinnear spoke about him to the Gazette and said "We've brought Dan back for his energy, enthusiasm and workrate. He's a really mobile player".

Dan made his first appearance of the new campaign in a 1-1 draw at Wealdstone in the Isthmian League Premier Division on 20.8.11 but on 29.8.11 he was sent off for what was deemed to be a stamp on an opponent as Margate drew 2-2 at Hastings. Dan tried to hurdle a challenge but landed on the Hastings player and was harshly dismissed. As a result of his red card Dan had to serve a three-match ban following a 2-0 home defeat against Hendon on 10.9.11.

He returned to Margate's midfield in a 2-0 defeat against AFC Hornchurch at Hartsdown Park on 27.9.11 and then played once more in the number 11 shirt before dropping to the subs bench. Dan came on in three consecutive matches in the early part of October 2011 but after regaining his place for a 3-2 home defeat against Bromley in the FA Cup on 15.10.11 he was ever-present in midfield for the remainder of the season.

On 12.11.11 Dan got his first goal of the campaign in a 5-0 win over visitors Wingate & Finchley and he also created one of Kwesi Appiah's four goals with what the Thanet Times described as a "perfect defence-splitting through ball". Dan scored for the second time in a 4-2 win over Cray at Bromley on 27.12.11 and the Isle of Thanet Gazette said he "had one of his better games" whilst praising a "hell of a ball from inside his own half" that created a goal for Kwesi Appiah.

On 21.1.12 Dan was on target again as Margate thrashed Lewes 5-1 at Hartsdown Park and it was a great strike from the corner of the penalty area. The Thanet Times said he "looked up and bent an absolute beauty into the far top corner". His next goal came from the penalty spot in 2-2 draw at Wingate & Finchley on 3.3.12 and having been used as both a wide midfielder and more centrally Dan told the Isle of Thanet Gazette "I don't mind where I play, it's up to the gaffer how he uses me."

In its report on a 0-0 draw with visitors Leatherhead on 10.3.12 the Thanet Times said Dan "worked hard throughout, for little reward, down the Margate right" and on 9.4.12 he caused amusement in a 3-1 home defeat against Cray after a mix-up about a substitution. Dan saw the number 11 board held up and assumed he was coming off so headed towards the Margate dugout but it turned out to be Cray that were making the change and the Thanet Times said "Stubbsy returned to his position with a big smile on his face and no doubt it'll take a while to live that little gem down".

On 21.4.12 Dan got his fifth and sixth goals of the season in a 2-2 draw with Billericay at Hartsdown Park, scoring from the penalty spot and then tucking away the rebound after a second penalty was saved later on. He ended the campaign having made a total of 51 appearances (four as sub).

Dan scored a last-minute winner as Margate won 1-0 at Whitstable in a pre-season friendly on 24.7.12 and he made his first competitive appearance of the 2012/13 campaign as a substitute in a 2-0 home win over Hendon in the Isthmian League Premier Division on 18.8.12. Dan then came off the bench to score from the penalty spot as Margate drew 2-2 at Hastings on 21.8.12 and he made his first start of the season in a 3-3 draw at Kingstonian on 25.8.12.

For the next two months Dan was a regular in Margate's midfield but after a 4-0 home defeat against Metropolitan Police in the Isthmian League Cup on 16.10.12 he only featured as a substitute in the next two games. In the second of them Dan scored with a superb volley from just outside the penalty area as Margate lost 3-1 at Canvey Island. He was then restored to the starting line-up for a home game against Hastings on 27.10.12 and Dan made it back-to-back goals with Margate's strike in a 1-1 draw. From then on he was a fixture in the side once again and on 6.11.12 Dan scored for the third match in a row - a penalty in a 2-1 win at Leiston.

He got his fifth goal of the season in 3-1 win over Bury at Hartsdown Park on 17.11.12 and Dan then made it five goals in six games with a strike in a 2-1 win at Hampton & Richmond on 1.12.12.

On 5.1.13 he put a penalty over the bar as Margate lost 2-1 at Concord Rangers and on 16.2.13 Dan scored in a 2-1 defeat at Wealdstone. After a long run in the side he was dropped to the bench for a home game against Bognor Regis on 9.3.13 and when Dan came on in a 3-0 win it turned out to be his final appearance for Margate. Shortly afterwards he left the club citing work commitments and by then Dan had scored seven goals (two penalties) from 35 outings (seven as sub) during 2012/13.

Shortly after his departure from Hartsdown Park Dan rejoined Maidstone again and he scored once from seven league outings as the Stones won promotion from the Isthmian League Division 1 South via the play-offs. Dan was released by the club in June 2013 after negotiations with manager Jay Saunders over a new deal broke down.

In July 2013 Dan featured in some friendlies for Conference South outfit Dover who were managed by former Margate boss Chris Kinnear at the time but he wasn't signed and started 2013/14 without a club.

At the start of March 2014 Dan signed for Isthmian League Division 1 South outfit Hythe and made his debut for them as a substitute in a 2-0 home defeat against Walton & Hersham on 4.3.14.