Ted Bennett (footballer)

Edward Ernest Bennett (22 August 1925 – 23 August 2018) was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper.[1] He competed for Great Britain at the 1952 Summer Olympics.[2][3]

Ted Bennett
Personal information
Full name Edward Ernest Bennett
Date of birth 22 August 1925
Place of birth Kilburn, London, England
Date of death 23 August 2018(2018-08-23) (aged 93)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1945 Willesden
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1947–1949 QPR 2 (0)
1949–1953 Southall (2)
1953–1956 Watford 81 (0)
1956–1957 Gravesend & Northfleet 10 (0)
International career
1952–1953 England amateur 11 (0)
1952 Great Britain 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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Born in Kilburn, Middlesex, Bennett started playing competitive football as an amateur for Southall, who competed in the Athenian League. He joined Football League side QPR in 1949,[4] and made two first team appearances.[5] In a league where most players were professional, Bennett remained an amateur. This enabled him to play eleven times for England at amateur level, and to keep goal for Great Britain at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.[6] Great Britain were eliminated 5–3 in the preliminary round by Luxembourg after extra time, in a match that finished 1–1 after 90 minutes.[7]

After a brief return to Southall, Bennett signed on professional terms for Watford in December 1953. He replaced Dave Underwood, who had been sold to Liverpool for £5,000 earlier that month. At the time, this was the highest transfer fee Watford had ever received.[8] Bennett played 86 of Watford's next 87 games, before a finger injury ended his Football League career in 1955. He was sold to Gravesend and Northfleet of the Southern Football League in September 1956 for a nominal transfer fee.[4]

References

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General
  • Jones, Trefor (1996). The Watford Football Club Illustrated Who's Who. ISBN 0-9527458-0-1.
  • Ted Bennett's profile at Sports Reference.com
Specific
  1. ^ "Ted Bennett". Olympedia. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Edward BENNETT". FIFA. Archived from the original on 9 November 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2009.
  3. ^ "Edward Bennett". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2009.
  4. ^ a b Jones p. 39
  5. ^ Neil Brown. "Queens Park Rangers: 1946/47 – 2008/09". Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  6. ^ Jones p. 292
  7. ^ "Olympic football tournament Helsinki 1952". FIFA. Archived from the original on 16 June 2008. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  8. ^ Jones p. 230