Peter Stone

NSL Career: Western Suburbs, APIA, St George 195 (11) / 1977 - 1985

Socceroos Career: 11 (0) A Internationals / 5 (0) B Internationals

During an era of Australian football when the national league was full of players from the UK, Southern Europe and South America - Peter Stone was one of the most talented Australian-born players in the country. Clever and combative but clean, Stone did his job with little fuss and was an integral part of the St George side that won the NSL Championship just two years after getting relegated to the NSW State League.

Born in Queensland, Stone moved to Newcastle at the age of four before beginning his junior career with Kotara South at the age of nine and making his first team debut in the Northern NSW First Division at the age of 15 for Adamstown Rosebud. In 1972, Stone moved to NSW Division One side Western Suburbs where he became a Socceroo in 1976, making his debut against Italian Serie A club Bologna before making his full international debut in a friendly against Hong Kong.

Western Suburbs became a foundation club of the Phillips Soccer League in 1977 and Stone helped the side reach the NSL Cup Quarter-Finals in 1977 and 1978 as he earned a re-call to the national team. Following the 1978 season, Stone spent four months with English First Division team Tottenham Hotspur's reserve side. Western Suburbs averaged just over 2000 spectators in their first two national league seasons and amalgamated with the well-supported APIA Leichhardt, who joined the league in 1979 where Stone continued his NSL career. 

After seven games in to his second season at APIA, St George paid $12,000 for the talented midfielder where he remained with the club when they were relegated to the NSW Division One. Stone captained the side as they defeated Sydney Croatia one-nil in the NSW Grand Final and gained promotion back in to the PSL. 

The experienced campaigner commanded the St George midfield as they began their rise from the ashes, finishing runners-up in the league before going on to win the Play-Off Series, where star import Dez Marton scored a hat-trick against Sydney City. Stone had become one of the best midfielders in the country along with Heidelberg's Jim Campbell and Sydney Olympic's Peter Katholos - but was unable to get another call up to the national team. 

During the 1983 season, St George coach Frank Arok was called up to temporarily replace Les Scheinflug as Socceroos coach, which had a positive effect on the St George squad as they remained undefeated in the last eight games of the season to claim their first (and only) NSL Championship. Following the championship season, Stone remained with the club for a further two seasons, leading the club to the Northern Conference Elimination Final in 1985 before hanging up his boots a month shy of his 31st birthday.