Youth football Hanley played for junior club
Fletcher Moss Rangers before signing with the
Manchester United academy in 2004. He initially struggled with injuries, but went on to play a successful role in the club's run in the
2011–12 FA Youth Cup, scoring in the semi-final against
Burnley and playing both legs of the final against
Chelsea in the centre of midfield as his side lost 4–1 on aggregate. Hanley joined
Swansea City in January 2014. He signed a new one-year contract with the Premier League side in April 2015. At the end of the 2015–16 season, Hanley was released without having made a single first team appearance.
Northampton Town Hanley signed a two-year contract with League One side
Northampton Town in June 2016. He promised to challenge
David Buchanan for a first-team place, saying that manager
Rob Page convinced him that Northampton was the best place for him to advance his career. Hanley made his senior debut for Northampton as a 57th-minute substitute for
JJ Hooper in a 3–0 home defeat to
Wycombe Wanderers on 30 August 2016, in an
EFL Trophy group stage match. However, Hanley spent most of the season on the sidelines, making five appearances in all competitions. At the end of the 2016–17 season, he was among four players to be placed on a transfer list. Ahead of the 2017–18 season, Hanley went on a trial with
Oxford United and featured in a trial match. In the season that followed he played for the Northampton first team on four occasions. On 10 March 2018, Hanley was loaned out to
Halifax Town for the rest of the season. He made his FC Halifax Town debut on 10 March 2018, in a 3–1 win over
Woking. He went on to make seven appearances for the National League side. Hanley was released by Northampton at the end of the 2017–18 season, following their relegation from League One.
Non-League career On 28 April 2019, after a little over one month at
Connah's Quay Nomads, Hanley moved to National League North side
Chorley until the end of the season. Hanley joined
National League North club
Hereford on 2 August 2019 after a successful trial period. He subsequently signed for
Mossley in November 2019 and
Radcliffe in January 2020. In October 2022, Hanley joined
Northern Premier League Premier side
Stalybridge Celtic and later in the season he would sign for
Runcorn Linnets of the Northern Premier Division One West. On 22 August 2023,
North West Counties Premier side
West Didsbury & Chorlton announced the signing of Hanley. He made his debut and won the club's supporter-nominated man of the match in a 2–0 victory against
Skelmersdale United on the day of his signing. ==International career==