Alan Bennett (5 November 1931 – 17 January 2006) was an English footballer who played on the left-wing. He made 133 league appearances in a nine-year career in the English Football League. He played for Port Vale between 1949 and 1957, and was a member of the Third Division North winning side in 1953–54. He retired in 1958, following one season with Crewe Alexandra.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alan Bennett[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 5 November 1931[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, England[1] | ||
| Date of death | 17 January 2006 (aged 74) | ||
| Place of death | Stoke-on-Trent, England | ||
| Position(s) | Left-winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Grove Youth Club | |||
| Port Vale | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1949–1957 | Port Vale | 123 | (8) |
| 1957–1958 | Crewe Alexandra | 10 | (0) |
| Total | 133 | (8) | |
| International career | |||
| England Youth | |||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career
Port Vale
Bennett graduated from the Port Vale juniors to sign his first professional contract with the club in 1949.[1] He represented England Youth.[2] He made his senior debut for Port Vale on 26 March 1949, in a 2–0 defeat to Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic at The Old Recreation Ground.[1] He played ten Third Division South games for Gordon Hodgson's "Valiants" in 1949–50.[1] He featured 31 times in 1950–51, and scored his first senior goal on 30 September, in a 2–1 home win over Swindon Town.[1] Bennett scored three goals in 40 appearances in 1951–52, after retaining his first-team place at Vale Park despite the transition of manager from Hodgson to Ivor Powell and then to Freddie Steele.[1] He scored three goals in 29 games in 1952–53, as Vale went on to finish second in the Third Division North.[1] He lost his first-team place in December 1952, and featured only five times in 1953–54, as Vale won the league title and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup.[1] He played four Second Division games in 1954–55, and then featured seven times in 1955–56 and just twice in 1956–57.[1] Having failed to revive his career under new manager Norman Low, Bennett was transferred to Maurice Lindley's Crewe Alexandra in September 1957.[1]
Crewe Alexandra
The "Railwaymen" finished bottom of the English Football League in 1957–58, and Bennett then announced his retirement at the age of 27.
Style of play
A skilful and speedy winger, he required the protection of his teammates to prevent opposition hatchet men from taking him out of the game.[3]
Later life
After leaving the game, Bennett took up the greengrocer trade, later becoming a coal merchant.[4]
Career statistics
Source:[5]
| Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Port Vale | 1948–49 | Third Division South | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1949–50 | Third Division South | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| 1950–51 | Third Division South | 28 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 31 | 3 | |
| 1951–52 | Third Division South | 39 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 3 | |
| 1952–53 | Third Division North | 27 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 29 | 3 | |
| 1953–54 | Third Division North | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1954–55 | Second Division | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1955–56 | Second Division | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1956–57 | Second Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 123 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 129 | 9 | ||
| Crewe Alexandra | 1957–58 | Third Division North | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Career total | 133 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 139 | 9 | ||
Honours
Port Vale
References
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