John Benson (footballer)
Encyclopedia
John Harvey Benson was a Scottish
football player and manager. Born in Arbroath
, Benson started his career as an apprentice at Manchester City
. He turned professional in 1961, and made 44 league appearances over the next three seasons before being sold to Fourth Division
side Torquay United
in 1964. He was a regular in the first team during his whole spell with Torquay, helping the club win promotion to the Third Division
in the 1965–66 season.
In 1970, Benson joined John Bond
's Fourth Division side Bournemouth
, where he was part of another promotion winning side in the 1970–71 season. He had a short spell on loan with Exeter City
in 1973, and later that year moved to Norwich City
, who had recently appointed John Bond as their new manager. He spent just over a year at the club before returning to Bournemouth in January 1975 as player-manager, but couldn't prevent the club's relegation to the Fourth Division at the end of the season. In his first full season in charge, the club came close to regaining promotion to the Third Division, but two less successful seasons followed, and Benson resigned in 1978.
Over the next three decades, Benson worked in a wide variety of different coaching and scouting roles. He was appointed as caretaker manager of Manchester City
in 1983, but was replaced at the end of the season after the club were relegated. He became manager at Burnley
a year later, but was sacked after suffering another relegation. He was also in charge of Wigan Athletic
during the 1999–2000 season, narrowly missing out on promotion after the team were defeated in the 2000 Second Division play-off Final
. He died in October 2010, aged 67, following a short illness.
, Scotland
. He grew up in Manchester
after moving there at an early age, and began his career in football with Stockport Boys before signing as an apprentice with Manchester City
. He turned professional with the Maine Road
side in July 1961 and made his debut against West Bromwich Albion
in 1962. Benson made 44 league appearances for the club before being signed by Torquay United
in June 1964 for a club record fee of £6,000. He established himself as a regular in the Torquay side and was a member of the 1965–66 promotion side, Torquay finishing third in Division Four.
After 240 league games and 7 goals, Benson moved to Bournemouth
in October 1970 for a fee of £12,000, and was appointed captain by manager John Bond
. He played four games on loan with Exeter City
in March 1973, before moving to Norwich City
in December 1973 where he made 37 appearances scoring a solitary league goal. He returned to Bournemouth
in January 1975 to become player-manager and made another 57 league appearances. He failed to save the Cherries from relegation at the end of his first season, and led them to 6th place the following year. However, this was the nearest the Cherries would get to winning back their Division Three status under Benson as they finished 13th and 17th the following years. The 1978–79 season looked to be going the same way and he was replaced at Dean Court by Alec Stock
.
. In October 1980 he turned down the manager's job at Carrow Road in order to follow Bond to Manchester City
as his assistant and briefly took over as manager after Bond's dismissal on 9 February 1983. At the end of the season, with City relegated after a home defeat by Luton Town
(which resulted in Luton manager David Pleat
dancing on the pitch), Benson was replaced by Billy McNeill
. He rejoined John Bond as coach to Bond's Burnley
team, and again replaced Bond as manager in August 1984. His spell in charge at Turf Moor
lasted until May 1985, when he was sacked after Burnley's relegation.
He subsequently took coaching jobs in Dubai
and with Al Naser in Kuwait
. In 1990 he was appointed Chief Scout at Barnsley
, a post he held until April 1994 when he returned to Norwich City
assisting then manager John Deehan
with administrative duties, whilst also coaching the Norwich goalkeepers. Deehan resigned in April 1995, and was replaced by Martin O'Neill
, Deehan subsequently being appointed manager of Wigan Athletic
. In November 1995, Benson became Deehan's assistant at Wigan. In the summer of 1998, Deehan left to coach at Sheffield United
, with Benson taking over as caretaker. He was offered the job, but declined on the grounds of ill-health, Ray Mathias
taking over instead, with Benson remaining in an advisory capacity. With expectations high and Wigan missing out on promotion, Matthias was sacked, and on the 1st of June 1999 Benson was appointed as Wigan's manager. As Wigan settled into their new home at the JJB Stadium, Benson's side went 26 league games undefeated, before losing at home to Oldham Athletic on the 7th of January 2000, Benson picking up 2 Manager of the Month
awards in the process. Towards the end of the season Wigan lost their form and found themselves in the play-off final at Wembley against Gillingham
. A few days prior to the game, Benson had announced he was stepping down but remained to lead his team out at Wembley and ultimately a 3–2 defeat after being 2–1 up with only 7 minutes of extra time remaining. In June 2000 Bruce Rioch
took over as Wigan manager, with Benson appointed as general manager. In April 2001, Rioch was replaced by Steve Bruce
and Benson's role changed to that of youth development officer. A month later Bruce also left, and the consequent arrival as Paul Jewell
resulted in Benson being given the title of Director of Football. On the 10th of December 2001 he resigned from his post at Wigan to link up again, this time as assistant manager, with Steve Bruce
, when Bruce finally completed his acrimonius move from Crystal Palace to Birmingham City. He later became General Manager at Birmingham, but left on 2 June 2006 to rejoin Wigan Athletic, where his role was described as "a link between the playing and administrative sides" of the club. He left Wigan to join Sunderland
in the summer of 2010.
On 10 November 2010, Wigan vs Liverpool
Premier League match, there was a well-respected minute's applause in his memory.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
football player and manager. Born in Arbroath
Arbroath
Arbroath or Aberbrothock is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland, and has a population of 22,785...
, Benson started his career as an apprentice at Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
. He turned professional in 1961, and made 44 league appearances over the next three seasons before being sold to Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
side Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
in 1964. He was a regular in the first team during his whole spell with Torquay, helping the club win promotion to the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
in the 1965–66 season.
In 1970, Benson joined John Bond
John Bond (footballer)
John Frederick Bond is an English former professional football player and manager. His son Kevin Bond is also a former footballer.-Playing career:...
's Fourth Division side Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
, where he was part of another promotion winning side in the 1970–71 season. He had a short spell on loan with Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
in 1973, and later that year moved to Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
, who had recently appointed John Bond as their new manager. He spent just over a year at the club before returning to Bournemouth in January 1975 as player-manager, but couldn't prevent the club's relegation to the Fourth Division at the end of the season. In his first full season in charge, the club came close to regaining promotion to the Third Division, but two less successful seasons followed, and Benson resigned in 1978.
Over the next three decades, Benson worked in a wide variety of different coaching and scouting roles. He was appointed as caretaker manager of Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
in 1983, but was replaced at the end of the season after the club were relegated. He became manager at 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...
a year later, but was sacked after suffering another relegation. He was also in charge of Wigan Athletic
Wigan 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...
during the 1999–2000 season, narrowly missing out on promotion after the team were defeated in the 2000 Second Division play-off Final
2000 Football League Second Division play-off Final
The 2000 Football League Second Division play-off final was a football match played at Wembley Stadium on 28 May 2000, to determine the third and final team to gain promotion from the Second Division to the First Division of The Football League in the 1999–2000 season...
. He died in October 2010, aged 67, following a short illness.
Playing career
Benson was born on 23 December 1942 in ArbroathArbroath
Arbroath or Aberbrothock is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland, and has a population of 22,785...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He grew up in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
after moving there at an early age, and began his career in football with Stockport Boys before signing as an apprentice with Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
. He turned professional with the Maine Road
Maine Road
Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England that was home to Manchester City F.C. from its construction in 1923 until 2003...
side in July 1961 and made his debut against West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
in 1962. Benson made 44 league appearances for the club before being signed by Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
in June 1964 for a club record fee of £6,000. He established himself as a regular in the Torquay side and was a member of the 1965–66 promotion side, Torquay finishing third in Division Four.
After 240 league games and 7 goals, Benson moved to Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
in October 1970 for a fee of £12,000, and was appointed captain by manager John Bond
John Bond (footballer)
John Frederick Bond is an English former professional football player and manager. His son Kevin Bond is also a former footballer.-Playing career:...
. He played four games on loan with Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
in March 1973, before moving to Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
in December 1973 where he made 37 appearances scoring a solitary league goal. He returned to Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
in January 1975 to become player-manager and made another 57 league appearances. He failed to save the Cherries from relegation at the end of his first season, and led them to 6th place the following year. However, this was the nearest the Cherries would get to winning back their Division Three status under Benson as they finished 13th and 17th the following years. The 1978–79 season looked to be going the same way and he was replaced at Dean Court by Alec Stock
Alec Stock
Alec William Alfred Stock was an English footballer and manager.-Career:Alec Stock was born in Peasedown St John and played as an inside-forward for Tottenham Hotspur, Charlton Athletic and QPR before the Second World War and guested for several other clubs during the hostilities...
.
Post-playing career
In January 1979, Benson returned to Norwich City to act as youth team coach and scout, working under his former colleague from Bournemouth and Torquay, John BondJohn Bond (footballer)
John Frederick Bond is an English former professional football player and manager. His son Kevin Bond is also a former footballer.-Playing career:...
. In October 1980 he turned down the manager's job at Carrow Road in order to follow Bond to Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
as his assistant and briefly took over as manager after Bond's dismissal on 9 February 1983. At the end of the season, with City relegated after a home defeat by Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
(which resulted in Luton manager David Pleat
David Pleat
David John Pleat is an English football player turned manager and sports commentator.He is remembered by his contemporaries primarily for his career as manager of Tottenham Hotspur and Luton Town football clubs, and for an oft-televised clip of him running onto the pitch in 1983 to celebrate after...
dancing on the pitch), Benson was replaced by Billy McNeill
Billy McNeill
William "Billy" McNeill MBE is a former Scottish footballer and manager. He is best known for captaining Celtic to the European Cup triumph in 1967 and he later went on to manage the club. He is now the official Club Ambassador at Celtic....
. He rejoined John Bond as coach to Bond's 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...
team, and again replaced Bond as manager in August 1984. His spell in charge at Turf Moor
Turf Moor
Turf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of...
lasted until May 1985, when he was sacked after Burnley's relegation.
He subsequently took coaching jobs in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
and with Al Naser in Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. In 1990 he was appointed Chief Scout at Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
, a post he held until April 1994 when he returned to Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
assisting then manager John Deehan
John Deehan
John Matthew Deehan is an English former footballer who in recent years has had several spells in coaching and management. He is currently unemployed having previously held the position of Director of football at Grimsby Town....
with administrative duties, whilst also coaching the Norwich goalkeepers. Deehan resigned in April 1995, and was replaced by Martin O'Neill
Martin O'Neill
Martin Hugh Michael O'Neill, OBE, is a Northern Irish football manager and former player.Until resigning the post on 9 August 2010, he was manager of Aston Villa. Starting his career in his native Northern Ireland, O'Neill moved to England where he spent most of his playing career with Nottingham...
, Deehan subsequently being appointed manager of Wigan Athletic
Wigan 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...
. In November 1995, Benson became Deehan's assistant at Wigan. In the summer of 1998, Deehan left to coach at Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
, with Benson taking over as caretaker. He was offered the job, but declined on the grounds of ill-health, Ray Mathias
Ray Mathias
Raymond "Ray" Mathias is an English football coach and former player. He has spent most of his career in the lower leagues of English football. He was appointed Interim Manager of Stockport County on the 9th March 2011 until the end of the season, when County were relegated from the Football...
taking over instead, with Benson remaining in an advisory capacity. With expectations high and Wigan missing out on promotion, Matthias was sacked, and on the 1st of June 1999 Benson was appointed as Wigan's manager. As Wigan settled into their new home at the JJB Stadium, Benson's side went 26 league games undefeated, before losing at home to Oldham Athletic on the 7th of January 2000, Benson picking up 2 Manager of the Month
Football League Second Division Manager of the Month
The Football League Second Division Manager of the Month award was a monthly prize of recognition given to association football managers in the Football League Second Division, the third tier of English football from 1992 to 2004. The award was announced in the first week of the following month...
awards in the process. Towards the end of the season Wigan lost their form and found themselves in the play-off final at Wembley against Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
. A few days prior to the game, Benson had announced he was stepping down but remained to lead his team out at Wembley and ultimately a 3–2 defeat after being 2–1 up with only 7 minutes of extra time remaining. In June 2000 Bruce Rioch
Bruce Rioch
Bruce David Rioch is an English-born football manager and former player. He was manager of Aalborg BK in the Danish Superliga, until his sacking on 23 October 2008....
took over as Wigan manager, with Benson appointed as general manager. In April 2001, Rioch was replaced by Steve Bruce
Steve Bruce
Stephen Roger "Steve" Bruce is an English football manager and former player. Born in Corbridge, Northumberland, he was a promising schoolboy footballer but was rejected by a number of professional clubs. He was on the verge of quitting the game altogether when he was offered a trial with Gillingham...
and Benson's role changed to that of youth development officer. A month later Bruce also left, and the consequent arrival as Paul Jewell
Paul Jewell
Paul Steven Jewell is a former English footballer who is currently the manager of Ipswich Town.His playing career started with Liverpool before moving to Wigan Athletic and then a ten-year spell with Bradford City...
resulted in Benson being given the title of Director of Football. On the 10th of December 2001 he resigned from his post at Wigan to link up again, this time as assistant manager, with Steve Bruce
Steve Bruce
Stephen Roger "Steve" Bruce is an English football manager and former player. Born in Corbridge, Northumberland, he was a promising schoolboy footballer but was rejected by a number of professional clubs. He was on the verge of quitting the game altogether when he was offered a trial with Gillingham...
, when Bruce finally completed his acrimonius move from Crystal Palace to Birmingham City. He later became General Manager at Birmingham, but left on 2 June 2006 to rejoin Wigan Athletic, where his role was described as "a link between the playing and administrative sides" of the club. He left Wigan to join Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
in the summer of 2010.
Death
On 30 October 2010, it was announced that Benson had died, aged 67, following a short illness.On 10 November 2010, Wigan vs Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
Premier League match, there was a well-respected minute's applause in his memory.