Fred Bennett (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Frederick 'Fred' Bennett (2 October 1906 – 20 August 1990) was a professional footballer who played in the Football League
for Bristol Rovers
and Chester
.
Born in Bristol
, Bennett played local non-League football
for Hanham Athletic and HJ Packers Ltd., as well as club cricket
for Fry's and Packers. He joined Bristol Rovers as a Full back
in December 1925, and in a four and a half-year long stay with the club he made 129 League appearances, scoring twice. In 1930 he joined Chester
(now known as Chester City) when they were a non-League team, but they were elected to the Football League at the end of his first season there. He went on to play 158 League games and scoring a single goal, before moving to Nantwich
(now Nantwich Town) in 1935 and Oswestry Town
in 1937.
On retiring from football he returned to his home city of Bristol to live, and also served in North Africa
during World War II
.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
and Chester
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
.
Born in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, Bennett played local non-League football
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
for Hanham Athletic and HJ Packers Ltd., as well as club cricket
Club cricket
Club cricket is a mainly amateur, but still formal, form of the sport of cricket, usually involving teams playing in competitions at weekends or in the evening. There is a great deal of variation in game format although the Laws of Cricket are always observed...
for Fry's and Packers. He joined Bristol Rovers as a Full back
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
in December 1925, and in a four and a half-year long stay with the club he made 129 League appearances, scoring twice. In 1930 he joined Chester
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
(now known as Chester City) when they were a non-League team, but they were elected to the Football League at the end of his first season there. He went on to play 158 League games and scoring a single goal, before moving to Nantwich
Nantwich Town F.C.
Nantwich Town Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Nantwich, Cheshire, England. The club was founded in 1884 and is nicknamed The Dabbers. The club is currently a member of the Northern Premier League Premier Division, with home matches played at the Weaver Stadium.Nantwich...
(now Nantwich Town) in 1935 and Oswestry Town
Oswestry Town F.C.
Oswestry Town F.C. was a football club, formerly playing in the League of Wales.The club was founded as Oswestry United in 1860, which meant they were one of the world's oldest football clubs. Matches were latterly played at Park Hall stadium, Oswestry, after a spell at Victoria Road...
in 1937.
On retiring from football he returned to his home city of Bristol to live, and also served in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.