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Gary Bennett (footballer born 1962)
Encyclopedia
Gary Bennett was a professional footballer in the 1980s and 1990s. He played for six different clubs in the Football League, with the majority of appearances being made for Chester City
and Wrexham.
from playing local football in Preston in October 1984. 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 he scored 13 league goals as the club achieved promotion from Division Four.
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. The matter was eventually settled out of court a decade later.
In November 1988 Bennett moved on to Southend United (scoring against Chester later in the month) but by March 1990 he was back at Chester. 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.
and then struck 32 and 29 times in the next two seasons. In 1994/95, he scored a penalty against Ipswich
, in the F.A. cup 3rd round, to secure a place against Manchester United, at Old Trafford
in the 4th round. Bennett also scored twice in the Welsh Cup Final, at Cardiff Arms Park
, to beat Cardiff City
2-1. He always had a fantastic rapport with the Wrexham fans, given his goal-scoring records, and imaginative goal celebrations. Unsurprisingly, he is very highly regarded by Wrexham supporters, as something of a legend at the Racecourse.
to Tranmere Rovers in the summer of 1995.
At Preston, Bennett gained legendary status when he scored two goals in a three nil victory. He had not played many games for Preston in the run up to the game but came on as a sub after an hour against the local rivals and scored two goals out of three which were all scored within eight minutes of coming him off the bench. The first of these was a sublime chip, from thirty yards out over stranded 'Pool keeper Steve Banks.
Coincidently, the match was also the debut of future PNE legend and captain, Sean Gregan.
season, and came on as a second half substitute in the F.A. Cup quarter final, against Chesterfield. One of the notable achievements of his second spell at Wrexham was scoring a last minute winner at local rivals Shrewsbury Town in April 1997.
• Freight Rover Trophy
winners: 1984–85
Chester City
• Football League Division Four runners-up: 1985–86
(43 apps, 13 goals)
Southend United
Wrexham
• Football League Division Three runners-up: 1992–93
(35 apps, 16 goals)
• Football League Division Two top-scorer: 1994–95
(29 goals)
• Welsh Cup
Winner: 1994–95
Preston North End
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
and Wrexham.
Early playing career
Bennett began his full-time playing career when he joined Wigan AthleticWigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
from playing local football in Preston in October 1984. At the end of the season, Bennett appeared at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
for Wigan in the final of the Freight Rover Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
, which ended in a 3-1 win over Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
. However, Bennett was soon on the move as he followed manager Harry McNally
Harry McNally
Harry McNally was a football player, coach and manager, noted for his spells as manager of Wigan Athletic and Chester City.-The Non-League Background:...
to Chester City
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
, where he scored 13 league goals as the club achieved promotion from Division Four.
Bennett scored 23 times in 1986–87
1986-87 in English football
The 1986–87 season was the 107th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :The First Division championship went to Everton in their final season under the management of Howard Kendall before his departure to Athletic Bilbao. His side overcame a spate of injuries to fight off...
but his season was overshadowed by his tackle in an 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...
tie against Sheffield Wednesday that left opponent Ian Knight
Ian Knight (footballer)
Ian Knight is a former professional footballer who played as a defender. He played for Sheffield Wednesday and Grimsby Town before retiring due to injuries.-Playing career:Knight began his career promisingly...
with his leg broken in 7 places. The matter was eventually settled out of court a decade later.
In November 1988 Bennett moved on to Southend United (scoring against Chester later in the month) but by March 1990 he was back at Chester. He remained there until the end of the 1991–92
1991-92 in English football
- First Division :The last-ever league championship before the creation of the Premier League was won by Leeds United who overhauled Manchester United thanks to the efforts of, among others, Gordon Strachan, Lee Chapman, David Batty, Gary Speed and Gary McAllister...
season, scoring the winner 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 April 1992 that effectively sealed Division Three survival for Chester.
Wrexham career
After being released by the club, Bennett joined Chester’s arch rivals Wrexham and enjoyed the most prolific spell of his career. He struck 16 league goals as the club achieved promotion in 1992-931992-93 in English football
The 1992–1993 season was the 113th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:This season saw the birth of the FA Premier League. This meant a break-up of the 104-year-old Football League that had operated until then with four divisions....
and then struck 32 and 29 times in the next two seasons. In 1994/95, he scored a penalty against Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
, in the F.A. cup 3rd round, to secure a place against Manchester United, at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
in the 4th round. Bennett also scored twice in the Welsh Cup Final, at Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
, to beat Cardiff City
Cardiff city
Cardiff City may refer to:* Cardiff city centre* Cardiff City Council* Cardiff City F.C.* Cardiff City L.F.C.* Cardiff City Stadium...
2-1. He always had a fantastic rapport with the Wrexham fans, given his goal-scoring records, and imaginative goal celebrations. Unsurprisingly, he is very highly regarded by Wrexham supporters, as something of a legend at the Racecourse.
Tranmere Rovers
Bennett was transferred for £300,000 by Wrexham manager Brian FlynnBrian Flynn
Brian Flynn, is a Welsh football manager and former Welsh international player.On 13 September 2010 Flynn was confirmed caretaker manager of the Wales national football team after John Toshack stepped down...
to Tranmere Rovers in the summer of 1995.
Preston
After signing for Preston North End he helped them win promotion to the Second Division.At Preston, Bennett gained legendary status when he scored two goals in a three nil victory. He had not played many games for Preston in the run up to the game but came on as a sub after an hour against the local rivals and scored two goals out of three which were all scored within eight minutes of coming him off the bench. The first of these was a sublime chip, from thirty yards out over stranded 'Pool keeper Steve Banks.
Coincidently, the match was also the debut of future PNE legend and captain, Sean Gregan.
Second spell at Wrexham
Bennett returned to Wrexham for the closing stages of the 1996–971996-97 in English football
The 1996–1997 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England.Arrival into the league and exit out of the league returns in the fourth tier for the first time after its 3 season absence with only 1 relegation spot.- Premier League :...
season, and came on as a second half substitute in the F.A. Cup quarter final, against Chesterfield. One of the notable achievements of his second spell at Wrexham was scoring a last minute winner at local rivals Shrewsbury Town in April 1997.
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.Honours
Wigan Athletic• Freight Rover Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
winners: 1984–85
1984-85 in English football
The 1984–85 season was the 105th season of competitive football in England.-Bradford City disaster:56 spectators died and more than 200 were injured when a fire ripped through the Main Stand at Valley Parade during Bradford City's Third Division fixture with Lincoln City on 11 May...
Chester City
• Football League Division Four runners-up: 1985–86
1985-86 in English football
The 1985–86 season was the 106th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :The championship crown went to Liverpool for the 16th time in their history at the end of their first season under the management of Kenny Dalglish, but they had to fight off some very stiff competition to...
(43 apps, 13 goals)
Southend United
- Football League Division Four promotion as third placed team: 1989–901989-90 in English football-European competitions:English clubs were still banned from competing in European competitions following the Heysel Stadium disaster.- First Division :...
(25 apps, 4 goals)
Wrexham
• Football League Division Three runners-up: 1992–93
1992-93 in English football
The 1992–1993 season was the 113th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:This season saw the birth of the FA Premier League. This meant a break-up of the 104-year-old Football League that had operated until then with four divisions....
(35 apps, 16 goals)
• Football League Division Two top-scorer: 1994–95
1994-95 in English football
-Premiership:Blackburn Rovers ended their 81-year wait for the league title thanks to the strike partnership of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton which scored a total of more than 50 league goals. Manchester United would have made it three league titles in a row if they had been able to turn a 1-1 draw...
(29 goals)
• Welsh Cup
Welsh Cup
The Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
Winner: 1994–95
Preston North End
- Football League Division Three champions: 1995– 961995-96 in English football- Premiership :Newcastle United were 12 points clear at the top of Manchester United, but Alex Ferguson's relatively young and inexperienced side overhauled them during the second half of the season to win the title....
(8 apps, 1 goal)