Gary Bennett (footballer, born 1963)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gary Michael Bennett | ||
| Date of birth | 20 September 1963 | ||
| Place of birth | Kirkby, Lancashire, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Skelmersdale United | |||
| Kirkby Town | |||
| 1984–1985 | Wigan Athletic | 20 | (3) |
| 1985–1988 | Chester City | 126 | (36) |
| 1988–1990 | Southend United | 42 | (6) |
| 1990–1992 | Chester City | 80 | (15) |
| 1992–1995 | Wrexham | 121 | (77) |
| 1995–1996 | Tranmere Rovers | 29 | (9) |
| 1996–1997 | Preston North End | 24 | (4) |
| 1997 | Wrexham | 15 | (5) |
| 1997–1999 | Chester City | 48 | (13) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. | |||
Gary Bennett (born 20 September 1963) is an English retired professional footballer. He played for six different clubs in the Football League, with the majority of appearances being made for Chester City and Wrexham.
Playing career
Early playing career
Bennett began his football career playing for Skelmersdale Unite and his local team Kirkby Town. Bennett began his full-time playing career when he joined Wigan Athletic, playing in the Preston League in October 1984.[1] At the end of the season, Bennett appeared at Wembley Stadium for Wigan in the final of the Freight Rover Trophy, which ended in a 3–1 win over Brentford. However, Bennett was soon on the move as he followed manager Harry McNally to Chester City, where 'Psycho', as he was known, scored 13 league goals in 43 appearances as the club achieved promotion from Division Four.[2][3]
Bennett scored 23 times in 1986–87 but his season was overshadowed by his tackle in an FA Cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday that left opponent Ian Knight with his leg broken in 7 places.[4][5] The matter was eventually settled out of court a decade later.[6] In November 1988 Bennett moved on to Southend United for £25,000 (scoring against Chester in Southend's 4–2 win later in the month) but by March 1990 he was back at Chester, again for a £25,000 fee.[7] He remained there until the end of the 1991–92 season, scoring the winner at Stoke City in April 1992 that effectively sealed Division Three survival for Chester.
Wrexham career
After turning down a new one-year contract with Chester, Bennett joined their archrivals Wrexham and enjoyed the most prolific spell of his career.[8] He struck 16 goals as the club achieved promotion in 1992–93 and then struck 39 and 47 times in the next two seasons.[9]
Tranmere Rovers
Bennett was transferred for £300,000 by Wrexham manager Brian Flynn to Tranmere Rovers in the summer of 1995.[10]
Return to Chester
He then moved back to Chester in the summer of 1997 for £50,000, registering 12 goals by early November in his first season back. Unfortunately he failed to add any more during the season and he would manage just one more (the winner at his former club Southend in August 1998) before injury forced him to retire from the game in August 1999.[11]
Post playing career
In July 2014, he was a participant on the television series Come Dine With Me alongside his wife Linda.[12]
References
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/guides/halloffame/sport/garybennett.shtml
- ↑ Sumner, Chas (2011) 125 Years on the Borderline: The Complete History of Chester City Football Club 1885–2010 ISBN 978-0-9569848-2-1, at page 280.
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/guides/halloffame/sport/garybennett.shtml
- ↑ Sumner, Chas, op. cit., at page 102
- ↑ "'There was talk of amputation'". The Independent on Sunday. 14 April 1996. Retrieved 2012-09-12.
- ↑ "City settle out of court (see October 14 & 13)". chester-city.co.uk. 14 October 1997. Retrieved 2008-01-03.
- ↑ Sumner, Chas, op. cit., at pages 103, 104
- ↑ Sumner, Chas, op. cit., at page 109
- ↑ http://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/fans/hall_fame/
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/guides/halloffame/sport/garybennett.shtml
- ↑ "Benno hangs up his boots (see 18 August)". chester-city.co.uk. 18 August 1999. Retrieved 2008-01-03.
- ↑ Collinson, Dawn (9 July 2014). "kelmersdale couple to star on Come Dine With Me faced their very own kitchen nightmare". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
Sources
- Sumner, Chas (1997). On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City F.C. 1885–1997. Yore Publications. ISBN 1-874427-52-6.
