Somerset had arrived in Manchester a player short for their fixture against Lancashire, and had to seek special permission to include Stanley in their team.

A subsequent transfer to the North Staffordshire Regiment sent him to the West Indies, before domestic appointments to Lichfield, Plymouth and Portsmouth.

[1] In late August 1884, Somerset County Cricket Club had just lost to Kent to record their fourth loss in five matches during 1884.

They were due to be met in Manchester by three members of the Somerset team that had not been able to make it to Kent; John Challen, Bill Roe and Herbert Fowler.

Newspaper reports on the first day's play either listed ten players, omitting Fowler, or included him as 'absent'; no mention was made of Stanley.

Stanley was posted to Manchester at the time as a captain in the 2nd Regiment of Foot, and was qualified to play for Somerset on the basis of his birth in the county.