Billy Benton

Billy Benton
Personal information
Full name William Henry Benton
Date of birth 5 December 1895
Place of birth Walsall, England
Date of death 1967 (aged 71–72)
Height 5 ft 8+12 in (1.74 m)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Walsall
1920–1931 Blackpool 353 (24)
Fleetwood Town
1932–1933 Rochdale 48 (8)
1933–36 Rossendale United 52 (8)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

William Henry Benton (5 December 1895 – 1967) was an English professional footballer. He spent eleven years at Blackpool in the 1920s and 1930s, making over 350 Football League appearances for the club. He played in midfield.

Benton made his debut for Blackpool on 30 August 1920, in the second league game of the 1920–21 season, a 2–1 defeat at home to Bristol City.[2] He went on to appear in 39 of the club's 42 league games that campaign, scoring six goals, including a hat-trick in only his third appearance for Bill Norman's men — a 4–0 home victory over Coventry City on 11 September.[2] Benton's other three strikes all came in Blackpool victories.

Benton was a regular in the team in all but his final three seasons with Blackpool. He made his final appearance for the club, then under the guidance of Harry Evans, on 7 February 1931, in a 6–0 defeat at Leicester City.[3]

  1. ^ "The lure of promotion. Blackpool". Athletic News. Manchester. 13 August 1923. p. 6.
  2. ^ a b Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, Breedon Books Sport, p. 216
  3. ^ Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, Breedon Books Sport, p. 236