Dave Bennett
Encyclopedia
David Anthony Bennett is an English
former Association football player. He is most famous for playing in two FA Cup
Finals; 1981 for Manchester City
, when he finished on the losing side, and 1987, when he produced a Man of the Match performance as Coventry City
beat Tottenham Hotspur
3-2.
and becoming a first team regular the following season
. He was on the losing side to Tottenham Hotspur
as City lost the 1981 FA Cup Final
replay 3-2 after drawing 1-1 in the original game, and had scored seven times in the First Division that season.
In September 1981, he was surprisingly sold to Third Division
side Cardiff City, and in his second season helping them win promotion to the Second Division
. In two seasons at Ninian Park
, he played 77 league games and scored 18 goals.
In July 1983, he returned to the First Division
in a move to Coventry City
. Five strong seasons followed, capped by an FA Cup winner's medal
in 1987 when he scored in a man of the match performances for the Sky Blues as they achieved a shock 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur
at Wembley
. He also supplied the cross for Keith Houchen
's classic headed goal.
However, he lost his place in the first team for the 1988-89 season
, during which he played just seven times before transferring to their First Division rivals Sheffield Wednesday in March 1989. He had played a total of 172 league games for the Sky Blues, scoring 25 goals.
David Bennett is one of 30 former Coventry City players included in the Hall of Fame at the club's home, the Ricoh Arena
, to which they relocated from Highfield Road
in 2005.
He spent 18 months at Sheffield Wednesday
, enduring their relegation to the Second Division at the end of the 1989-90 season
, before joining Swindon Town
in September 1990. He was brought to the County Ground
by manager Ossie Ardiles, who had ironically been his Tottenham nemesis in the FA Cup final nearly a decade earlier.
However, injury misery immediately followed, with Bennett breaking his leg in only his second match for the club. After spending a year recovering, Bennett was loaned out to Shrewsbury Town
to regain full match-fitness. Astonishingly, he broke the same leg, again in his second appearance for the club, effectively ending his professional career.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former Association football player. He is most famous for playing in two FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
Finals; 1981 for 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...
, when he finished on the losing side, and 1987, when he produced a Man of the Match performance as Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
beat Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
3-2.
Playing career
Bennett began his playing career with Manchester City, making his first senior appearance for them in the 1978-79 season1978-79 in English football
-FA Cup:Manchester United had seemingly pulled off a remarkable comeback against Arsenal in the 1979 FA Cup Final to make the score 2–2 after being two goals down, but a last-minute goal from Alan Sunderland saw Arsenal lift the trophy with a 3–2 scoreline...
and becoming a first team regular the following season
1979-80 in English football
The 1979–80 season was the 100th season of competitive football in England.- FA Cup :Second Division West Ham United, managed by John Lyall, won the FA Cup, beating Arsenal 1–0 with a Trevor Brooking goal...
. He was on the losing side to Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
as City lost the 1981 FA Cup Final
1981 FA Cup Final
The 1981 FA Cup Final was contested by Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at Wembley. The match finished 1–1 after extra time; Tommy Hutchison opened the scoring for City, and then scored an own-goal eleven minutes from time to bring Spurs level. In the replay, Spurs won 3–2, with...
replay 3-2 after drawing 1-1 in the original game, and had scored seven times in the First Division that season.
In September 1981, he was surprisingly sold to 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...
side Cardiff City, and in his second season helping them win promotion to the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
. In two seasons at Ninian Park
Ninian Park
Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
, he played 77 league games and scored 18 goals.
In July 1983, he returned to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
in a move to Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
. Five strong seasons followed, capped by an FA Cup winner's medal
1987 FA Cup Final
The 1987 FA Cup Final took place on 16 May 1987 at Wembley Stadium. It was contested between Coventry City and Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs were appearing in their third final in seven seasons, having won the trophy in 1981 and 1982 and were strong favourites, while unfancied Coventry were appearing...
in 1987 when he scored in a man of the match performances for the Sky Blues as they achieved a shock 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
at Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
. He also supplied the cross for Keith Houchen
Keith Houchen
Keith Morton Houchen is an English former footballer and football manager. A forward, he score 162 goals in 509 league games....
's classic headed goal.
However, he lost his place in the first team for the 1988-89 season
1988-89 in English football
The 1988–89 season was the 109th season of competitive football in England.-Hillsborough disaster:On 15 April, a crowd crush at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough killed 94 people and injured more than 300. A 95th Liverpool supporter died in hospital...
, during which he played just seven times before transferring to their First Division rivals Sheffield Wednesday in March 1989. He had played a total of 172 league games for the Sky Blues, scoring 25 goals.
David Bennett is one of 30 former Coventry City players included in the Hall of Fame at the club's home, the Ricoh Arena
Ricoh Arena
The Ricoh Arena , home to Coventry City F.C., is a stadium complex situated in the Rowleys Green district of the city of Coventry, England containing a 32,609 seater football stadium, a 6,000 square-metre exhibition hall, a hotel, a leisure club, and a casino...
, to which they relocated from Highfield Road
Highfield Road
The Highfield Road Stadium was a football stadium in the city of Coventry, England. It was the home ground for Coventry City F.C. until the club moved to the new Ricoh Arena after the 2005-06 season...
in 2005.
He spent 18 months at Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
, enduring their relegation to the Second Division at the end of the 1989-90 season
1989-90 in English football
-European competitions:English clubs were still banned from competing in European competitions following the Heysel Stadium disaster.- First Division :...
, before joining Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
in September 1990. He was brought to the County Ground
County Ground, Swindon
The County Ground is a stadium located near the town centre of Swindon, England. It is home to Swindon Town Football Club and has been for over a century.The current capacity is 15,728, all-seated...
by manager Ossie Ardiles, who had ironically been his Tottenham nemesis in the FA Cup final nearly a decade earlier.
However, injury misery immediately followed, with Bennett breaking his leg in only his second match for the club. After spending a year recovering, Bennett was loaned out to Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
to regain full match-fitness. Astonishingly, he broke the same leg, again in his second appearance for the club, effectively ending his professional career.
External links
- Photos and stats at sporting-heroes.net