Alan Bennett (footballer, born 1931)

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.

Alan Bennett

Personal information
Full name	Alan Bennett[1]
Date of birth	(1931-11-05)5 November 1931[1]
Place of birth	Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, England[1]
Date of death	17 January 2006(2006-01-17) (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]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		Total
		Division	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

• Football League Third Division North: 1953–54^[6]