Bill Bentley
Encyclopedia
William John "Bill" Bentley (born 21 October 1947 in Stoke-on-Trent
, Staffordshire
) is an English
former professional football player. He played as a left-back
.
Beginning his career at Stoke City
in 1964, he moved on to Blackpool
in 1968. He spent the next nine years with Blackpool, helping them to lift the Anglo-Italian Cup
in 1971. He spent 1977 to 1980 at Port Vale
, also briefly serving the club as caretaker-manager in 1979. He ended his career at non-league Stafford Rangers
in 1981.
Man" chant
that emanated from the stands during his time at Blackpool.
He began his career with Stoke City
, signing as a professional with the club in October 1964, and went on to make 48 league appearances for the Potters. The young defender's physique and temperament had caused for him to be likened to John Charles
.
On 9 January 1969, five months into the 1968–69 season, he joined Blackpool
for £30,000. He made his debut for the club two days later, in a 3–2 home defeat by Charlton Athletic
. The following season he helped the Seasiders win promotion to the First Division
. After they returned whence they had come, he was part of the Blackpool team that won the Anglo-Italian Cup
beating Bologna
in the final in Rome. He also played as Blackpool were losing finalists to Roma
in the 1972 Anglo-Italian Cup final. He also helped the club reach the quarter-finals of the League Cup
in 1972–73.
On 3 January 1976, Bentley scored a "stunning" winning goal against Burnley
in the third round of the FA Cup
, his only goal in eleven appearances in the competition for the club.
Bentley remained at Bloomfield Road
for eight years. His final appearance came on 7 May 1977, in a 1–1 draw at Hereford United
. He made almost 300 league appearances and scored ten goals for Blackpool, for whom he was mostly used as a left-back but also had times playing in midfield.
In July 1977 he was sold to Port Vale
, for whom he made 106 appearances over three seasons. He was placed in temporary charge of team affairs in December 1979 after Alan Bloor
resigned and before a replacement in John McGrath was found. Despite this he was given a free transfer in May 1980 and moved on to Stafford Rangers
, with whom he finished his professional career in 1981. After Rangers he became the player-manager of Fenton British Legion and Foley.
In 2008 Bentley said of his time with Blackpool:
in the Trentham
area of his hometown of Stoke-on-Trent.
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
) is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former professional football player. He played as a left-back
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
.
Beginning his career at Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
in 1964, he moved on to Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
in 1968. He spent the next nine years with Blackpool, helping them to lift the Anglo-Italian Cup
Anglo-Italian Cup
The Anglo-Italian Cup is a defunct European football competition that was played intermittently between 1970 and 1996 between clubs from England and Italy. Founded by Gigi Peronace in 1970, following the success of the Anglo-Italian League Cup, it was played as a professional tournament until 1973...
in 1971. He spent 1977 to 1980 at Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
, also briefly serving the club as caretaker-manager in 1979. He ended his career at non-league Stafford Rangers
Stafford Rangers F.C.
Stafford Rangers Football Club is a semi-professional English football team from Stafford which plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.The team wear black and white stripes with black shorts...
in 1981.
Career
Bentley, a former England Youth international was known for being a tough-tackling defender. This was the source of the "Bill Bentley, HatchetHatchet
A hatchet is a single-handed striking tool with a sharp blade used to cut and split wood...
Man" chant
Football chant
A football chant or terrace chant, is a song or chant sung at association football matches. They can be historic, dating back to the formation of the club, adaptations of popular songs, or spontaneous reactions to events on the pitch. They are one of the last remaining sources of an oral folk song...
that emanated from the stands during his time at Blackpool.
He began his career with Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
, signing as a professional with the club in October 1964, and went on to make 48 league appearances for the Potters. The young defender's physique and temperament had caused for him to be likened to John Charles
John Charles
William John Charles, CBE , commonly known as John Charles, was a Welsh international footballer best remembered for spells with Leeds United and Juventus. Rated by many as the greatest all-round footballer ever to come from Wales, he was equally adept at centre-forward or centre-back...
.
On 9 January 1969, five months into the 1968–69 season, he joined Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
for £30,000. He made his debut for the club two days later, in a 3–2 home defeat by Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
. The following season he helped the Seasiders win promotion to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
. After they returned whence they had come, he was part of the Blackpool team that won the Anglo-Italian Cup
Anglo-Italian Cup
The Anglo-Italian Cup is a defunct European football competition that was played intermittently between 1970 and 1996 between clubs from England and Italy. Founded by Gigi Peronace in 1970, following the success of the Anglo-Italian League Cup, it was played as a professional tournament until 1973...
beating Bologna
Bologna F.C. 1909
Bologna Football Club 1909, known simply as Bologna, is an Italian Football League club based in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, formed in 1993. The club are nicknamed the rossoblù because of the red and blue striped shirts they wear. Red and Blue are the official colours of the town.During its history...
in the final in Rome. He also played as Blackpool were losing finalists to Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
in the 1972 Anglo-Italian Cup final. He also helped the club reach the quarter-finals of the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
in 1972–73.
On 3 January 1976, Bentley scored a "stunning" winning goal against Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
in the third round of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, his only goal in eleven appearances in the competition for the club.
Bentley remained at Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
for eight years. His final appearance came on 7 May 1977, in a 1–1 draw at Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
. He made almost 300 league appearances and scored ten goals for Blackpool, for whom he was mostly used as a left-back but also had times playing in midfield.
In July 1977 he was sold to Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
, for whom he made 106 appearances over three seasons. He was placed in temporary charge of team affairs in December 1979 after Alan Bloor
Alan Bloor
Alan Bloor is an English professional footballer and manager, now retired. He made close to 400 appearances in the Football League for both Potteries teams...
resigned and before a replacement in John McGrath was found. Despite this he was given a free transfer in May 1980 and moved on to Stafford Rangers
Stafford Rangers F.C.
Stafford Rangers Football Club is a semi-professional English football team from Stafford which plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.The team wear black and white stripes with black shorts...
, with whom he finished his professional career in 1981. After Rangers he became the player-manager of Fenton British Legion and Foley.
In 2008 Bentley said of his time with Blackpool:
Post-retirement
Bentley is now a window cleanerWindow cleaner
A window cleaner is a person who maintains the cleanliness of windows, mirrors and other glass surfaces as a profession.-Profession:...
in the Trentham
Trentham, Staffordshire
Trentham is a suburb of Stoke-on-Trent, located to the south-west of the city centre and to the south of the neighbouring town of Newcastle-under-Lyme. Although the majority of Trentham is within the city limits, it is mostly separated from the main urban area by surrounding open space and the...
area of his hometown of Stoke-on-Trent.