Stones was aged just 16 years 309 days old and, at the time, the third youngest player to appear for the club in the Football League: he is currently the fourth after Jack Hobbs, Shane Nicholson and Carl Dawson.
Having spent some time with the club during the pre-season[5] in November 2002 Stones signed for Gainsborough Trinity who were under the command of his former Lincoln coach Phil Stant.
[6] He made his Northern Premier League debut for the club in the 2–1 home victory over Colwyn Bay on 23 November 2002 and made a further eight league appearances, scoring a single goal in the 4–2 home victory over Worksop Town on 26 December 2002, before returning to Brigg Town in February 2003.
[7] He helped Brigg to secure the FA Vase that season, appearing in the 2–1 final victory over AFC Sudbury at Boleyn Ground on 10 May 2003.
[9] Stones was forced to miss the entire 2007–2008 season after breaking his leg in two places just two minutes into a friendly with Lincoln Moorlands Railway on 7 July 2007, the first fixture at Sleaford's new Eslaforde Park ground.