Tony Bentley

Tony Bentley
Personal information
Full name	Anthony Bentley
Date of birth	20 December 1939 (age 84)
Place of birth	Stoke-on-Trent, England
Position(s)	Full back / Forward
Senior career*
Years	Team
1958–1961	Stoke City
1961–1971	Southend United
1971–1973	Folkestone Town
1973–1974	Ashford Town (Kent)
Total
	*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
Club	Season	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

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
^ Maurice Golesworth (1965). Soccer Who's Who. The Sportsmans Book Club.
^ 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 Transfer Database

[The_Encyclopaedia_of_Stoke_City-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)

[1]

[2]

[3]

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