Back in the Portsmouth family - former Fratton striker reunites with ex-Blues coach to end brief hunt for a club

The ex-Pompey striker left Dorchester Town earlier this month after netting 23 goals in 80 appearances over two seasons.

However, he will remain in Southern League Premier Division South after completing a switch to newly-promoted AFC Totton.

That will see the 21-year-old managed by Jimmy Ball, son of two-time Blues boss Alan and a former Pompey youth-team coach himself.

Under Ball, Totton were crowned Southern League Division One champions in April following an outstanding campaign.

Now they have strengthened by recruiting Stanley, who made two Pompey appearances until his Fratton Park release in the summer of 2021.

Boss Ball told Totton’s official website: ‘Alfie’s goalscoring record stands for itself and, of course, he has experience of playing well at the level that we’re now moving up to, which is important and should help us.

‘His dad was a fantastic player and, from what I’ve learned by speaking to several people in the game whose footballing opinions I respect and trust, the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.’

Following a heartbreaking Fratton exit, Stanley linked up with Dorchester in September 2021 after subsequent trials at Burnley, Wycombe and Eastleigh.

He became a regular with the Magpies, enhancing his reputation as a promising goal-getter, before departing for a fresh challenge this summer.

Stanley told the club website: ‘When I came to meet Jimmy Ball and CEO Steve Brookwell, they showed me around the facilities and told me about their ambitions for the club.

‘I was well aware of how well Totton did last season and of the growing reputation of the coaching set-up and the playing squad, so it didn’t take long for me to realise that this was the right move for me.

‘The club is well-suited to the way I want to play and to what I want to achieve in the game, so I see this as a great opportunity to get plenty of games and, hopefully, score lots of goals to help the team go as high as it can.

‘I’m really looking forward to it.’