Joseph "Joe" Bonson was an English

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...

 professional footballer who played for several clubs during the 1950s and 1960s.

Career

Bonson started his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.

Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...

, working his way through their youth ranks including playing in the 1954 FA Youth Cup Final, losing to Manchester United

Manchester United F.C.

Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...

. He graduated to the first team and made his debut on 1 January 1957 in a 3–2 win at , the first of 11 consecutive starts during which he scored 6 goals. However, due to a wealth of striking talent at the club, he was deemed surplus to requirements and sold to Cardiff City

Cardiff City F.C.

Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...

 for £7,000 at the end of the season.

He joined the Bluebirds as a replacement for Johnny Nicholls

Johnny Nicholls

John Nicholls , better known as Johnny Nicholls or sometimes Jack Nicholls, was an English footballer who played as a forward. During his professional career he represented West Bromwich Albion, Cardiff City and Exeter City.- Biography :Nicholls was born in Wolverhampton...

, who had left the club to join Exeter City

Exeter City F.C.

Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...

 and made a goalscoring debut for the club in a 1–1 draw with Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town F.C.

Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....

 in November 1957. He finished the season with 12 goals in a total of 25 appearances.

During his time at Cardiff he formed two formidable strike partnerships with two Wales

Wales national football team

The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...

 internationals, first with Ron Hewitt

Ron Hewitt

Ronald "Ron" Hewitt was a Wales international football player.Having failed to break into the first team at Wolves, Hewitt had spells with Walsall and Darlington before moving to Wrexham. During his six years there he finished as the top scorer in three of the seasons and established himself as...

 and then with Derek Tapscott

Derek Tapscott

Derek Robert Tapscott was a Welsh former professional footballer and Wales international.-Early life:Born in Barry, to Florence and Stanley, Tapscott was one of sixteen children. As a child he began attending High Street Junior School in August 1936 where he remained until leaving school at the...

, after he joined the club from Arsenal

Arsenal F.C.

Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...

. Bonsons's most prolific year came in the 1958-59 season when he scored 18 times for the club. At the end of the season he was transferred to Scunthorpe United

Scunthorpe United F.C.

Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....

 in exchange for Peter Donnelly.

Bonson went on to spend the rest of his career playing in the lower leagues of English football with spells at Doncaster Rovers

Doncaster Rovers F.C.

Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...

, Newport County

Newport County A.F.C.

Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...

, Brentford

Brentford F.C.

Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....

 and Lincoln City

Lincoln City F.C.

Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....

.

He died in 1991.