Having played for three counties as a child, Stansfield began his career in non-league with Cullompton Rangers and Elmore, and had unsuccessful trials at league teams.

In 2004, he transferred to Hereford United, where he won promotion to The Football League via the 2006 play-offs, and repeated the feat with Exeter City two years later.

[6] Devon journalist Gary Andrews remembered Stansfield senior as a man who would spend time with his family after matches while speaking to fans and the press.

He played in Tiverton Town's youth team as a left back before reverting to being a striker at his first senior club, non-League side Cullompton Rangers.

[10] His first season at Huish Park was a success, finishing as the top scorer with 16 goals, eight of which came in the club's victorious FA Trophy run.

[12] On the first day of the following season, Stansfield was substituted through injury after 16 minutes of an eventual 2–2 home draw with Gravesend & Northfleet to be replaced by Abdoulai Demba.

[17] On 14 June 2004, Stansfield returned to the Conference with Hereford United, signed by Graham Turner to replace their previous season's top scorer Steve Guinan, who had been sold to Cheltenham Town.

In the following season they won promotion by the play-offs, with Stansfield starting in the final on 20 May 2006 at the Walkers Stadium in Leicester, a 3–2 extra-time victory over Halifax Town.

[21] He told local radio that his aim was not to achieve promotion or reach a certain tally of goals, but to influence the club's younger players.

[7] He scored nine times in 40 league games in his first season, including two in a 2–1 home win over relegated Southport on 28 April 2007 in order to seal a play-off place.

[22] Eleven days later, in the second leg of the play-off semi-final away to Oxford United, he scored a goal which took the match to extra time and eventually a penalty shootout which his side won.

[25] He started in the final, whereby the team returned to The Football League for the first time in five years with a 1–0 Wembley win over Cambridge United.

[27][28] The following campaign, despite never having previously played at as high a level, he was a regular starter for Exeter in League One, scoring eight goals in a season curtailed by his cancer diagnosis.

[29] He featured in the 2002 edition of the Four Nations Tournament, and made his debut in England's opening match, a 1–1 draw with Wales at York Street in Boston on 14 May.

Manager Paul Tisdale told local news programme BBC Spotlight that "there's little good on this subject... but if there's someone who can deal with it and meet it head on with real purpose, Adam's the man".

[7][35] As a mark of respect, Dagenham & Redbridge postponed the game Exeter were due to play against them at Victoria Road four days after his death.

It works in offering children football in Devon, Somerset and Herefordshire, the three counties in which he played professionally, as well as increasing opportunities for the disabled to take part in the sport.