Stanislaus hoping to return - Bury Times - Friday, 09 February 1996:
SACKED former Bury defender Roger Stanislaus is determined to try and relaunch his career after serving a one-year drugs ban, writes Chris Bailey. And the 27-year-old Londoner has received the backing of his former teammate Ronnie Mauge, now with Plymouth Argyle. In November last year Stanislaus became the first British based professional footballer to test positive for a performance enhancing drug. He was caught by the Football Association's mobile drugs unit after appearing for Orient at Barnet. Traces of cocaine showed up in a random test. The FA handed him the longest suspension in the last thirty years - 12 months -and on Tuesday of this week Stanislaus was sacked by Orient. Speaking for the first time about the whole affair Stanislaus said he was devastated. "At this point it looks as though my career might be over but I hope not. In a year's time I'd like to come back into the game. I'll be discussing my options with the Professional Footballers' Association," he said. The player received support from former roommate Mauge, captain at Argyle. "Anyone who thinks Roger is on drugs would be totally wrong," he declared. "I lived in the same house as him for two years and he was always a dedicated professional. To my knowledge he never once took drugs in that time. He wouldn't even take a cough mixture he was so careful." "This business has left him totally deflated I just hope he's able to bounce back." Stanislaus, who had claimed the drug had been taken innocently, was signed by Bury from Brentford for £90,000. He played 170 league games over a five year period from July 1990 before moving to Orient in a £40,000 deal last summer.