Ex-Premier League Striker Joins Conor McGregor’s Pub Team After Jail Sentence Overturned

Football never fails to throw up stories that make you stop mid-sip of your tea, blink twice, and say: “Wait… what?”

One of those stories landed this week out of Dublin, where former Premier League striker Anthony Stokes — yes, that Anthony Stokes — has signed for Black Forge FC, the pub team owned by none other than UFC icon Conor McGregor. The move comes just months after Stokes had a 15-month prison sentence overturned, following convictions for drug dealing and drunk driving.

It’s the kind of headline that reads like it was dreamed up by a sports desk trying to meet a deadline on a slow Tuesday, but this is all real — and it’s happening.

From the Premier League to McGregor’s Backyard

Anthony Stokes’ career has always had a touch of unpredictability about it. The Dublin-born striker started life in the game at Arsenal, breaking through the youth ranks at a time when the Gunners were still basking in the post-Invincibles glow.

His early promise was obvious. He was quick, clinical, and confident — the kind of young forward who could rattle a defender before they’d even touched the ball. That potential saw him make loan moves to Falkirk and then Sunderland, where he announced himself in the Premier League.

But Stokes’ path was never straight. While he scored goals at almost every club he played for — including stints at Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, Celtic, Hibernian, and Blackburn Rovers — his off-field life often found its way into the headlines.

The Jail Sentence and the Appeal

Rangers v Hibernian – William Hill Scottish Cup Final

In October 2024, things hit rock bottom for Stokes when he was sentenced to 15 months in prison after being found guilty of drug dealing and drunk driving offences.

It was the latest in a series of legal troubles for the now 37-year-old. He had previously served time for breaching court orders, after contacting his ex-girlfriend and her family in defiance of legal restrictions. There had also been an assault charge earlier in his career.

The October sentence seemed to mark a grim chapter in what had once been a glittering career. But in November, just a month later, Stokes’ legal team won their appeal, and the conviction — and the jail time — was overturned.

For most, the next step might have been quietly fading from the public eye. But Stokes has never been “most people.”

Enter Conor McGregor — And Black Forge FC

Conor McGregor, the man who went from plumbing apprentice to two-weight UFC champion to whiskey mogul, has spent the last few years expanding his empire. One of his passion projects is The Black Forge Inn, his high-end Dublin pub, which he’s turned into both a business and a brand.

In true McGregor style, the pub has its own football team — Black Forge FC — and it’s here that Stokes has found his next chapter.

The striker announced his move in the simplest way possible, taking to Instagram with the words: “Better get the dust knocked off the boots.”

No big unveiling. No choreographed PR. Just a veteran forward lacing up again, this time in the colours of a pub side backed by one of the most famous fighters on the planet.

The Footballing CV

Before we dive into what this means for Black Forge FC, it’s worth remembering just how much football Anthony Stokes has played — and how many goals he’s scored.

Across spells in England, Scotland, Iran, and beyond, Stokes racked up 418 career appearances and found the net 160 times.

• Arsenal (2003–2007) – Youth product who made his senior debut but never quite broke through.

• Falkirk (loan, 2006–2007) – 16 goals in 18 games; a prolific run that made everyone take notice.

• Sunderland (2007–2009) – Mixed Premier League spell but chipped in with memorable goals.

• Hibernian & Celtic – His best years, with multiple trophies and famous derby strikes.

• Later moves – Spells at Crystal Palace, Blackburn Rovers, Livingston, and Persepolis in Iran.

When you put those numbers together, you realise this isn’t just any pub signing — it’s a man who knows how to score and has done it on some of the biggest stages in British football.

The McGregor Factor

Republic of Ireland v USA – International Friendly

The partnership between Stokes and McGregor is one of those Irish sporting quirks that you couldn’t script better if you tried.

McGregor himself isn’t a stranger to controversy. Just recently, he lost a civil jury appeal against a ruling that found he had sexually assaulted a woman. He has had public altercations, legal issues, and run-ins with just about everyone from rival fighters to members of the press.

In that sense, McGregor and Stokes are kindred spirits — both supremely talented in their field, both with careers overshadowed at times by headlines that have nothing to do with their craft.

Whether that shared experience will create chemistry on the pitch remains to be seen. But you can bet the cameras will be watching when the two line up together for Black Forge FC.

What It Means for Black Forge FC

Let’s be honest: pub teams rarely make global sports news. But this is no ordinary pub team. McGregor’s influence means Black Forge FC already has a following that stretches beyond Dublin, and Stokes’ arrival adds a genuine football pedigree to the squad.

Even if the games are played in front of a few dozen locals with pints in hand, there’s every chance someone will be livestreaming them to thousands online.

For Stokes, this is a chance to rediscover the joy of football without the crushing expectations of professional life. For Black Forge FC, it’s a signing that brings not just goals but also headlines — the kind of PR most Sunday league sides can only dream of.

The Road Ahead

Stokes hasn’t played professionally since a short-lived spell with Livingston five years ago, so there will naturally be questions about match fitness. But strikers with his instinct never really lose their eye for goal.

If he can stay fit, avoid trouble, and focus on the game, there’s every chance we’ll see flashes of the old Stokes — the one who terrorised defenders in the SPL and scored in high-pressure derbies.

Final Whistle

Anthony Stokes’ journey from Arsenal prospect to Premier League forward, from cup finals to courtrooms, and now to Conor McGregor’s pub team is one of the more unpredictable football tales of recent years.

It’s a reminder that careers don’t always follow a neat arc from debut to retirement. Sometimes, life throws up detours, and sometimes, those detours take you to a pitch behind a Dublin pub with a UFC champion as your boss.

Whether this chapter lasts a few months or sparks a longer comeback, one thing’s certain: Black Forge FC just became the most talked-about pub team in football. And if Stokes really has knocked the dust off those boots, there could be a few more goals — and headlines — still to come.