Tony Bentley

Not to be confused with Toni Bentley.

Tony Bentley
Personal information
Full name Anthony Bentley[1]
Date of birth (1939-12-20) 20 December 1939 (age 84)[1]
Place of birth Stoke-on-Trent, England[1]
Position(s) Full back / Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1958–1961 Stoke City 44 (15)
1961–1971 Southend United 381 (14)
1971–1973 Folkestone Town
1973–1974 Ashford Town (Kent)
Total 424 (29)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Anthony Bentley (born 20 December 1939) is an English footballer who played in the Football League for Stoke City and Southend United.[1]

Career

Bentley was born in Trent Vale, Stoke-on-Trent,[2] and began his career with local side Stoke City making his senior debut in the 1958–59 season.[1] He played as a forward in 1959–60 scoring nine goals in 13 matches. Under new manager Tony Waddington in 1960–61 he scored six goals in 35 matches but Waddington was seemingly unimpressed by Bentley and he was sold to Third Division side Southend United in July 1961.[1]

The "Shrimpers" manager Ted Fenton converted Bentley into a full-back and he became a consistent performer for the Roots Hall side in the 1960s playing ten seasons for the club racking up 419 appearances. He was given a testimonial match against his old club Stoke in 1966.[1] After his time at Southend he played non-League football with Folkestone Town and Ashford Town (Kent), with whom he made 34 league appearances during season 1974–75, before emigrating to Canada.

Career statistics

Source:[3]

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Stoke City 1958–59 Second Division 2 0 0 0 – 2 0
1959–60 Second Division 13 9 0 0 – 13 9
1960–61 Second Division 28 6 6 0 1 0 35 6
Total 44 15 6 0 1 0 51 15
Southend United 1961–62 Third Division 41 2 1 0 1 0 43 2
1962–63 Third Division 46 1 2 0 1 0 49 1
1963–64 Third Division 45 0 2 0 1 0 48 0
1964–65 Third Division 42 2 0 0 4 1 46 1
1965–66 Third Division 46 1 3 2 3 0 52 3
1966–67 Fourth Division 46 4 1 0 1 0 48 4
1967–68 Fourth Division 34 1 1 0 2 0 37 1
1968–69 Fourth Division 45 3 4 0 2 0 51 3
1969–70 Fourth Division 7 0 0 0 6 0 13 0
1970–71 Fourth Division 29 0 2 0 1 0 32 0
Total 381 14 15 2 23 1 419 17
Career total 424 29 21 2 24 1 469 32

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. ^ Maurice Golesworth (1965). Soccer Who's Who. The Sportsmans Book Club.
  3. ^ Tony Bentley at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

External links

  • Tony Bentley at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database