Nikolai Topor-Stanley

Nikolai David Topor-Stanley (born 11 March 1985) is an Australian football (soccer) player who plays as a centre back. Stanley was born to a Mauritian father, and a Polish-German mother.

Club Career

Sydney FC

Stanley has had several short-term contracts with A-League club Sydney FC, 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. He is a defender and has previously played for NSW Premier League teams Manly United FC and Belconnen Blue Devils, as well as representing 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 in the Pre-season Cup before scoring his first goal for the club against Newcastle Jets a week later. Nikolai made his A-League debut on 27 August 2006 against the 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 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. 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 confir