Dundalk FC is delighted to announce the signing of Scottish midfielder Sam Stanton. The 26-year-old arrives at Oriel Park after parting ways with USL Championship side Phoenix Rising in December.
Born in Edinburgh, Stanton came through the academy system at Hibernian. He made his first-team debut as a 17-year-old when he came off the bench against Rangers at Ibrox in January 2021.
Former Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers manager Pat Fenlon was in charge of Hibs at the time while ex-Dundalk midfielder Richie Towell was an unnamed substitute on the day.
Stanton went on to become a regular in the Hibs side under Terry Butcher and picked up the SPFL Young Player of the Month award in February 2014. During that spell, he was also capped for Scotland’s U21 side in a 2-2 draw with Hungary.
After going on loan to Livingston, Dumbarton and Dundee United, his time at Easter Road came to an end when he joined the Tannadice club on a permanent basis in January 2018. He made 102 appearances for Dundee United, helping them to promotion from the Scottish Championship, before moving to America in January 2020.
Stanton played 18 times for the Rising as they went on to win the USL Western Conference but the onset of COVID-19, and the projected late start of the 2021 USL season, saw him return to Scotland at the end of last year, paving the way for a move to the SSE Airtricity League.
“I had a phone call with Filippo Giovagnoli and I really liked what he said to me,” Stanton told dundalkfc.com. “Dundalk is a good club and I’m really excited to be here. I felt it was an opportunity I couldn’t really turn down.”
Speaking about the club’s fifth acquisition of the winter, Lilywhites sporting director Jim Magilton said that the left-footed midfielder would provide quality and depth to the Dundalk squad.
“I’m delighted to welcome Sam to the club,” he said. “He will provide real competition and experience to an area of the pitch where we needed strengthening following recent departures and I know we are all really looking forward to working with him and developing his game even further.”
