Tony Bentley

Tony Bentley

Personal information
Full name	Anthony Bentley[1]
Date of birth	20 December 1939[1]
Place of birth	Stoke-on-Trent, England[1]
Playing position	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
Total		424	(29)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (goals)

Anthony "Tony" Bentley (born 20 December 1939) is a former 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.

Career statistics

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Total
		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

1. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
2. Soccer Who's Who compiled by Maurice Golesworthy The Sportsmans Book Club 1965

External links

• Tony Bentley stats at Neil Brown stat site