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{{Short description|Australian soccer player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2013}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Nikolai Topor-Stanley
| image = Nikolai_Topor_Stanley_Post_Game_At_Parramatta_Stadium.jpg
| image_size = 232
| caption = Topor-Stanley after a match with [[Western Sydney Wanderers FC|Western Sydney Wanderers]] at [[Parramatta Stadium|Pirtek Stadium]]
| fullname = Nikolai David Topor-Stanley
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|3|11|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Canberra, Australian Capital Territory]], [[Australia]]
| height = {{height|m=1.91}}
| position = [[Defender (football)|Centre Back]]
| currentclub = [[Western United FC|Western United]]
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = [[Tuggeranong United]]
| youthyears2 = 1999–2000
| youthclubs2 = [[Woden Weston FC|Woden Valley]]
| youthyears3 = 2000
| youthclubs3 = [[Canberra Olympic]]
| youthyears4 = 2001
| youthclubs4 = [[Belconnen Blue Devils|Belconnen]]
| youthyears5 = 2002
| youthclubs5 = [[Capital Football|ACTAS]]
| youthyears6 = 2002–2003
| youthclubs6 = [[Australian Institute of Sport Football Program|AIS]]
| years1 = 2004
| clubs1 = [[Belconnen Blue Devils|Belconnen]]
| caps1 = 26
| goals1 = 1
| years2 = 2005
| clubs2 = [[Manly United]]
| caps2 = 29
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2006–2007
| clubs3 = [[Sydney FC]]
| caps3 = 14
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2007–2009
| clubs4 = [[Perth Glory FC|Perth Glory]]
| caps4 = 37
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2009–2012
| clubs5 = [[Newcastle Jets FC|Newcastle Jets]]
| caps5 = 81
| goals5 = 4
| clubs6 = [[Western Sydney Wanderers FC|Western Sydney Wanderers]]
| caps6 = 104
| goals6 = 3
| years6 = 2012–2016
| years7 = 2016–2017
| clubs7 = [[Hatta Club]]
| caps7 = 22
| goals7 = 0
| years8 = 2017–2021
| clubs8 = [[Newcastle Jets FC|Newcastle Jets]]
| caps8 = 105
| goals8 = 4
| clubs9 = [[Western United FC|Western United]]
| caps9 = 0
| goals9 = 0
| years9 = 2021–
| nationalyears1 = 2004–2005
| nationalteam1 = [[Australia national under-20 football team|Australia U-20]]
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2006–2008
| nationalteam2 = [[Australia national under-23 football team|Australia U-23]]
| nationalcaps2 = 26
| nationalgoals2 = 4
| nationalyears3 = 2008
| nationalteam3 = [[Australia national football team|Australia]]
| nationalcaps3 = 4
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| pcupdate = 20 April 2019
| ntupdate = 5 April 2015
}}

'''Nikolai David Topor-Stanley''' (born 11 March 1985) is an Australian [[Association football|football (soccer)]] player who plays as a [[Defender (football)|centre back]]. Stanley was born to a [[Mauritian]] father, and a [[Poles|Polish]]-[[Germans|German]] mother.<ref name="Paid his dues" />

==Club career==

===Sydney FC===
Stanley has had several short-term contracts with [[A-League]] club [[Sydney FC]],<ref name="Paid his dues">{{cite news| url = http://www.news.com.au/sundaytelegraph/story/0,,21135675-5006068,00.html| title = Nikolai has paid his dues| access-date = 2007-02-26| author = John Taylor| date = 30 January 2007| newspaper = [[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref> firstly as a replacement for injured [[Jacob Timpano]], and then [[Ruben Zadkovich]], but was ''not'' signed by former Sydney FC coach [[Terry Butcher]] on a reported long-term deal despite his "outstanding performance" because of the club's salary cap problems.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=13234 |title=Butcher ready to deal in Topor-Stanley |access-date=2007-02-22 |date=1 October 2006 |publisher=tribalfootball.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927003139/http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=13234 |archive-date=27 September 2007 }}</ref> He is a [[defender (football)|defender]] and has previously played for [[New South Wales Premier League|NSW Premier League]] teams [[Manly United FC]] and [[Belconnen Blue Devils]], as well as representing [[Australia national football (soccer) team|Australia]] in the [[2005 FIFA World Youth Championship]]. He was also selected to participate in the first training camp for the [[Beijing]] [[Olympics]].

On 15 July 2006, Nikolai debuted for Sydney off the bench against [[Queensland Roar FC|Queensland Roar]] in the [[A-League 2006-07#Preliminary Competitions|Pre-season Cup]] before scoring his first goal for the club against [[Newcastle Jets FC|Newcastle Jets]] a week later. Nikolai made his [[A-League]] debut on 27 August 2006 against the [[Central Coast Mariners FC|Central Coast Mariners]]. In the absence of Timpano, Nikolai cemented a place in Sydney's first team, having started a number of [[Sydney FC]]'s games in the [[A-League 2006-07|06-07 season]].

He was known to [[Sydney]] fans as "Hyphen", a name that was given to him by [[Sydney FC]] supporters, upon him scoring his first goal for the club. The name "Hyphen" comes about due to his hyphenated name. Stanley wore the number 21 shirt at [[Sydney FC]] and played as a left-sided stopper.

Sydney coach Butcher was apparently "fuming" after hearing that he had developed a foot injury at an Olyroos training session before the first semi-final against [[Newcastle Jets FC|Newcastle Jets]].<ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21154425-23215,00.html| title = Finalist fume over Olyroo injuries| access-date = 2007-02-26| author = Guy Hand| date = 1 February 2007| newspaper = [[The Australian]]}}</ref> In the first qualifying game against [[Taiwan]] in [[Adelaide]] on Wednesday, 7 February 2007, Topor-Stanley scored 2 of the 11 goals - one with each foot.

===Perth Glory===
Stanley was rumoured to be following [[Sasho Petrovski]] and [[Alvin Ceccoli]] out of Sydney FC and it was confirmed on 1 April 2007 that he has signed on with A-League rival team, [[Perth Glory FC|Perth Glory]] on a two-year deal.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.theworldgame.com.au/transfer/index.php?pid=st&cid=85830| title = Topor-Stanley joins Perth| access-date = 2007-04-13| author = SBS| date = 1 April 2007| publisher = theworldgame.com.au |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071011085209/http://www.theworldgame.com.au/transfer/index.php?pid=st&cid=85830  |archive-date = 11 October 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21487523-5006068,00.html| title = Topor-Stanley now a Glory boy| access-date = 2007-04-25| date = 2 April 2007| newspaper = [[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref> He left Sydney due to the contract which was offered to him by the club which was less than the amount he was being paid as a replacement player during the first season.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://australianfootball.wordpress.com/2008/02/28/interview-with-nikolai-topor-stanley/| title = Interview with Nikolai Topor-Stanley| access-date = 2008-03-25| author = Peng Cheng| date = 2 February 2008| publisher = Australian Football}}</ref> Topor-Stanley will continue to represent Sydney until after Sydney's participation in the [[2007 AFC Asian Cup|2007 Asian Champions League]]. He is a "victim of a club-versus-country tug of war," according to [[Branko Culina]], flying from country to country in between Olyroos and Sydney FC matches, along with fellow Sydney and Olyroos player [[Mark Milligan]].<ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/football/capstrapped-sydney-target-popovic-for-dual-role/2007/03/13/1173722468543.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1| title = Cap-strapped Sydney target Popovic for dual role| access-date = 2007-03-18| author = Michael Cockerill| date = 14 March 2007| newspaper = [[The Sydney Morning Herald]]}}</ref> Fellow Sydney FC player [[Mark Rudan]] was quoted as saying, "Nikolai Topor-Stanley will be a pretty big loss for us and again we seem to be losing players and not getting them."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21798718-5006068,00.html |title=Sydney FC taking time out |access-date=2007-06-09 |author=David Davutovic |date=27 March 2007 |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Sunday Telegraph]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070713195427/http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21798718-5006068,00.html |archive-date=13 July 2007 }}</ref>

He was praised as a new player for [[Perth Glory FC|Perth Glory]] at the beginning of the [[A-League 2007-08|2007-08 season of the A-League]], along with [[Jimmy Downey]], and was nicknamed Nikolai "Gandhi" Topor-Stanley by his teammates.<ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,22640101-5005401,00.html| title = David Tarka comment| access-date = 2007-11-17| author = David Tarka| author-link = David Tarka| date = 24 October 2007| newspaper = [[The Sunday Times (Western Australia)|Perth Now]]}}</ref> Only several matches into the A-League season, however, he took an ankle injury whilst playing for the Olyroos,<ref>{{cite web| url = http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/65049,toporstanley-in-doubt.aspx| title = Topor-Stanley In Doubt| access-date = 2007-11-17| author = Aidan Ormond| date = 15 November 2007| publisher = [[FourFourTwo (Australia)|FourFourTwo]]}}</ref> but was able to play his next match against [[Iraq]]. "Outstanding young [[Perth Glory FC|Perth Glory]] defender Nikolai Topor-Stanley has capped off a wonderful season by claiming the 2007/08 ‘Most Glorious Player’ Award, along with a host of other accolades, at the club’s presentation evening on Friday. The event belonged to Topor-Stanley as he scooped the pool with three awards in his debut season with [[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]], adding the ‘Players’ Player of the Year’ and ‘Young Player of the Year’ to his 'Most Glorious Player' award." (Perth Glory website, 22 February 2008)

===Newcastle Jets===
On 8 January 2009, Nikolai signed a two-year contract with Newcastle Jets. The assistant coach at the club 'rates Nikolai Topor-Stanley one of the best centre-backs in Australia and believes he is the perfect man to fix the club's defensive woes.'.<ref>[http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/sport/soccer/newcastle-hail-signing-of-perth-defender-nikolai-toporstanley/1401967.aspx]</ref> Playing for the Jets will enable Nikolai to compete in the Asian Champions League for the second time, the first being with Sydney FC in 2006.

In a tense penalty shoot-out on 20 February 2010, Nikolai scored the goal that earned Newcastle Jets the right to go into the A-League 2010 semi-finals - much to the disappointment of Gold Coast United fans at Skilled Park, Gold Coast, Australia. During Round 14 of the 2010-11 Hyundai A-League season against Adelaide United, Nikolai Topor-Stanley finally broke his goal-scoring drought by scoring his first goal in 88 games for the Newcastle Jets. In his commentary Mick Cockerill stated: "Has that [goal] been a long time coming! Topor-Stanley ends one of the longest droughts in Australian football...". In Round 16 he scored another goal for the Jets, a magnificent glancing header. On 27 November 2010 Nikolai captained the Jets to defeat David Beckham's LA Galaxy at Energy Stadium before a record crowd. Beckham commended the Jets on their speed and fitness.

===Western Sydney Wanderers===
On 22 June 2012, he was released by his club, [[Newcastle Jets FC|Newcastle Jets]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.sportal.com.au/football-news-display/topor-stanley-leaves-jets-183414| title = Topor-Stanley leaves Jets| access-date = 2012-06-22| author = Unspecified author| date = 22 June 2012| publisher = Sportal}}</ref> On 30 June 2012 it was announced he had signed with the newly formed [[Western Sydney Wanderers FC|Western Sydney Wanderers]] [[A-League]] franchise.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/wanderers-fc-reveal-latest-signings/47918 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-11-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921141202/http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/Wanderers-FC-reveal-latest-signings/47918 |archive-date=21 September 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

On 20 July 2013, Topor-Stanley started for the A-League All Stars in the inaugural [[A-League All Stars Game]] against [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]], a match in which the A-League All Stars were thrashed 5-1, courtesy of goals from [[Danny Welbeck]], [[Jesse Lingard]] and [[Robin van Persie]]. Topor-Stanley was substituted off in the 73rd minute of the match, and was replaced by [[Melbourne Heart FC|Melbourne Heart]] forward [[David Williams (Australian association footballer)|David Williams]].

Topor-Stanley captained the Western Sydney Wanderers during the 2014 season, replacing Michael Beauchamp. His captaincy has continued into 2015. Under his captaincy, the Wanderers defeated a mean-spirited Al Hilal in Riyadh to win the Asian Champions League.

===Hatta Club===
In October 2016, Topor-Stanley left the Wanderers to join [[UAE Arabian Gulf League]] side [[Hatta Club]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2016/10/13/topor-stanley-jets-dubai-join-hatta-club|title=Topor-Stanley jets off to Dubai to join Hatta Club|publisher=[[The World Game]]|date=13 October 2016|access-date=13 October 2016|author=Lewis, Dave}}</ref>

===Return to Newcastle Jets===
After one season, Topor-Stanley returned to the [[A-League]], signing a two-year deal with [[Newcastle Jets FC|Newcastle Jets]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/western-sydney-wanderers/former-western-sydney-wanderers-captain-nikolai-toporstanley-signs-with-newcastle-jets-20170613-gwqn8q.html|title=Former Western Sydney Wanderers captain Nikolai Topor-Stanley signs with Newcastle Jets|first=Dominic|last=Bossi|newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=14 June 2017}}</ref>

==International career==
He was part of the [[Olyroos]] squad that represented Australia at the [[2008 Summer Olympics|Beijing Olympics]] in 2008.
Topor-Stanley contributed significantly to the [[Olyroos]]' win over [[Saudi Arabia]] at [[Hindmarsh Stadium]] on 28 March 2007 by scoring the first goal, a header from the near post in the 74th minute of the game.<ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,21465975-5006373,00.html| title = Win sets target for Olyroos| access-date = 2007-03-29| author = Daniel Lato| date = 29 March 2007| newspaper = [[The Advertiser (Adelaide)|The Adelaide Advertiser]]}}</ref> In 2008, Topor-Stanley was named in Pim Verbeek's preliminary Australian squad which opened their [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] qualifying campaign against [[Qatar national football team|Qatar]] on Wednesday 6 February in [[Melbourne]] but made his international debut against [[Singapore national football team|Singapore]] in March 2008. Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek included Nikolai in the Socceroos squad that drew 0-0 against China in [[Kunming]] on Wednesday 26 March 2008, that won against Ghana on and lost to China in Sydney on Sunday 22 June 2008. Nikolai is the most capped Olyroos player representing Australia at the [[2008 Beijing Olympic Games]]. Verbeek selected Nikolai for the Socceroos squad that played Indonesia to a nil all draw on 28 January 2009 and for the squad that is to play Kuwait in Canberra on 5 March 2009.

Australia coach Ange Postecoglou revealed that Nikolai Topor-Stanley could have made his return to the Socceroos at the World Cup but for his injury in the Hyundai A-League grand final.
Read more at http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/article/topor-stanley-couldve-played-at-world-cup-ange/rudhhwa57pen1p0ixvh3grsi2#LAjtHvtzIV3LTfYk.99

In September 2014, Topor-Stanley was recalled to the Socceroos squad by Ange Postecoglou to play UAE in UAE and Qatar in Qatar. In December 2014, Topor-Stanley was named in the provisional Socceroos Asian Cup squad. http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/nikolai-toporstanley-back-in-socceroos-after-six-years-20140925-10lrqq.html

==A-League career statistics==
{{updated|16 july 2021}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="2"|League
!colspan="2"|Cup
!colspan="2"|Asia1
!colspan="2"|{{Tooltip|CWC|FIFA Club World Cup}}
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[Sydney FC]]
|[[2006–07 Sydney FC season|2006–07]]
|14||0||6||1||0||0||–||–||20||1
|-
!Total
!14!!0!!6!!1!!0!!0!!–!!–!!20!!1
|-
|rowspan="3" valign="center"|[[Perth Glory FC|Perth Glory]]
|[[2007–08 Perth Glory FC season|2007–08]]
|16||0||4||0||–||–||–||–||20||0
|-
|[[2008–09 Perth Glory FC season|2008–09]]
|21||0||0||0||–||–||–||–||21||0
|-
!Total
!37!!0!!4!!0!!0!!0!!–!!–!!41!!0
|-
|rowspan="5" valign="center"|[[Newcastle Jets FC|Newcastle Jets]]
|[[2008–09 Newcastle Jets FC season|2008–09]]
|0||0||–||–||6||0||–||–||6||0
|-
|[[2009–10 Newcastle Jets FC season|2009–10]]
|28||0||–||–||–||–||–||–||28||0
|-
|[[2010–11 Newcastle Jets FC season|2010–11]]
|28||2||–||–||–||–||–||–||28||2
|-
|[[2011–12 Newcastle Jets FC season|2011–12]]
|25||2||–||–||–||–||–||–||25||2
|-
!Total
!81!!4!!–!!–!!6!!0!!–!!–!!87!!4
|-
|rowspan="6" valign="center"|[[Western Sydney Wanderers FC|Western Sydney Wanderers]]
|[[2012–13 Western Sydney Wanderers FC season|2012–13]]
|29||1||–||–||–||–||–||–||29||1
|-
|[[2013–14 Western Sydney Wanderers FC season|2013–14]]
|28||2||–||–||9||1||–||–||37||3
|-
|[[2014–15 Western Sydney Wanderers FC season|2014–15]]
|20||0||1||0||6||0||1||0||28||0
|-
|[[2015–16 Western Sydney Wanderers FC season|2015–16]]
|27||0||1||0||–||–||–||–||28||0
|-
|[[2016–17 Western Sydney Wanderers FC season|2016–17]]
|0||0||3||0||–||–||–||–||3||0
|-
!Total
!104!!3!!5!!0!!15!!1!!1!!0!!125!!4
|-
|rowspan="1" valign="center"|[[Hatta Club]]
|[[2016–17 Hatta CLub season|2017–18]]
|?||?||?||?||–||–||–||–||?||?
|-
|rowspan="4" valign="center"|[[Newcastle Jets FC]]
|[[2017–18 Newcastle Jets FC season|2017–18]]
|29||0||1||0||–||–||–||–||30||0
|-
|[[2018–19 Newcastle Jets FC season|2018–19]]
|27||0||1||1||2||0||–||–||28||0
|-
|[[2019–20 Newcastle Jets FC season|2019–20]]
|26||3||2||0||–||–||–||–||28||3
|-
|[[2020–21 Newcastle Jets FC season|2020–21]]
|26||0||0||0||–||–||–||–||26||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Career total
!344!!10!!19!!2!!23!!1!!1!!0
!365!!12
|}
1 - [[AFC Champions League]] statistics are included in season ending during group stages (i.e. ACL 2009 and A-League season 2008–2009 etc.) 

==Honours==
'''Club'''
;[[Western Sydney Wanderers]]
* [[List of A-League champions|A-League Premiership]]: [[2012-13 A-League|2012–13]]
* [[AFC Champions League]]: [[2014 AFC Champions League|2014]]

'''Individual'''
* [[Perth Glory FC|Perth Glory]] Most Glorious Player Award: [[2007–08 Perth Glory FC season|2007–08]]
* [[PFA Footballer of the Year Awards|PFA Team of the Season]]: [[2009–10 A-League|2009-10]], [[2012-13 A-League|2012–13]], [[2015–16 A-League|2015-16]]
* [[A-League All Stars Game|A-League All Star]]: [[2013 A-League All Stars Game|2013]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/jul/20/manchester-united-aleague-all-stars-win|title=Manchester United thrash A-League All Stars to give David Moyes first win|first=Jamie|last=Jackson|date=20 July 2013|location=Sydney|access-date=7 September 2020|website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/T/TI.html Oz Football profile]

{{Western United FC squad}}
{{Perth Glory FC Player of the Year}}
{{2009–10 A-League Team of the Season}}
{{2012–13 A-League PFA Team of the Season}}
{{2015–16 A-League PFA Team of the Season}}
{{A-League Goal of the Year}}
{{Western Sydney Wanderers FC Player of the Year}}
{{Australia Squad 2008 Summer Olympics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Topor-Stanley, Nikolai}}
[[Category:1985 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:A-League players]]
[[Category:Australian soccer players]]
[[Category:Australian people of German descent]]
[[Category:Australian people of Mauritian descent]]
[[Category:Australian people of Polish descent]]
[[Category:Australia international soccer players]]
[[Category:Association football defenders]]
[[Category:Western Sydney Wanderers FC players]]
[[Category:Perth Glory FC players]]
[[Category:Sydney FC players]]
[[Category:Newcastle Jets FC players]]
[[Category:Western United FC players]]
[[Category:Hatta Club players]]
[[Category:Olympic soccer players of Australia]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Australian Institute of Sport soccer players]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Canberra]]
[[Category:ACT Academy of Sport alumni]]
[[Category:UAE Pro League players]]
[[Category:People educated at Narrabundah College]]

Nikolai Topor-Stanley - Revision history

imported>SuperJew: /* top */ update infobox