Graham Benstead
Encyclopedia
Graham Mark Benstead is a former professional footballer. He was a goalkeeper who played professionally for Queens Park Rangers
, Norwich City
, Colchester United
, Sheffield United
and Brentford
before moving into non-league football.
Benstead began his career with Wimbledon
before Terry Venables
signed him for Queens Park Rangers. He made one first team appearance for QPR, away at West Bromwich Albion in the 3rd round of the F.A. Cup in January 1983. At QPR he also won an England Youth Cap before moving to Norwich City in 1985. His chance for first team action finally came at the start of the 1986–87 season, when Norwich's England goalkeeper Chris Woods
moved to Rangers
for £600,000. Benstead was first choice goalkeeper as the season started, but the arrival of Bryan Gunn
in October 1986 relegated him to second choice again. Gunn had been due to sign at the start of the season, but an injury to Aberdeen's own regular keeper – Jim Leighton
– meant that Aberdeen manager Alex Ferguson
delayed the transfer.
Benstead was unable to reclaim the number one jersey from Gunn, and joined Sheffield United
in the summer of 1988 having had loan spells with United and Colchester during the 1987–88 season. Benstead had made 19 appearances for Norwich. He played 47 times for Sheffield Utd and then 133 times for Brentford before playing for non-league Kettering Town
, Rushden and Diamonds
, Kingstonian
, Basingstoke Town
, Chertsey Town, Farnborough Town
and Stevenage Borough
. He played for the England semi-professional team while at Rushden & Diamonds. He was appointed assistant manager at Stevenage Borough in May 2004, but left the post in October of the same year.
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
, Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
, Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
, Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
and 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....
before moving into non-league football.
Benstead began his career with Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
before Terry Venables
Terry Venables
Terence Frederick "Terry" Venables , often referred to as "El Tel", is a former football player and manager, as well as being a media pundit. During the 1960s and 70s, he played for various clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers, and gained two caps for England...
signed him for Queens Park Rangers. He made one first team appearance for QPR, away at West Bromwich Albion in the 3rd round of the F.A. Cup in January 1983. At QPR he also won an England Youth Cap before moving to Norwich City in 1985. His chance for first team action finally came at the start of the 1986–87 season, when Norwich's England goalkeeper Chris Woods
Chris Woods
Christopher 'Chris' Charles Eric Woods is a former England international football goalkeeper, who played in the Football League and Premier League for Queens Park Rangers, Norwich City, Sheffield Wednesday, Reading, Southampton and Burnley, in the Scottish Football League for Rangers, and in Major...
moved to Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
for £600,000. Benstead was first choice goalkeeper as the season started, but the arrival of Bryan Gunn
Bryan Gunn
Bryan James Gunn is a Scottish former professional goalkeeper and football manager. After learning his trade with Aberdeen in the early 1980s, he spent most of his playing career at Norwich City, the club with which he came to be most closely associated...
in October 1986 relegated him to second choice again. Gunn had been due to sign at the start of the season, but an injury to Aberdeen's own regular keeper – Jim Leighton
Jim Leighton
James "Jim" Leighton MBE is a Scottish former football goalkeeper. Among the clubs he played for are Aberdeen , Manchester United, Arsenal, Dundee and Hibernian.-Club:...
– meant that Aberdeen manager Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
delayed the transfer.
Benstead was unable to reclaim the number one jersey from Gunn, and joined Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
in the summer of 1988 having had loan spells with United and Colchester during the 1987–88 season. Benstead had made 19 appearances for Norwich. He played 47 times for Sheffield Utd and then 133 times for Brentford before playing for non-league Kettering Town
Kettering Town F.C.
Kettering Town Football Club are a football club originating in Kettering, Northamptonshire but currently based in the nearby village of Irthlingborough. The club play in the Conference National after winning the Conference North in 2007–08...
, Rushden and Diamonds
Rushden & Diamonds F.C.
Rushden & Diamonds Football Club was an association football club based in Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, England. Formed by a merger of Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds in 1992, the club played in the Conference National following a short spell in the Football League at the start of...
, Kingstonian
Kingstonian F.C.
Kingstonian Football Club are an English, semi-professional football club that are playing in the Isthmian League Premier Division for the 2011–12 season. The club has played at Kingsmeadow in Kingston upon Thames since 1989, after leaving their traditional Richmond Road ground...
, Basingstoke Town
Basingstoke Town F.C.
Basingstoke Town Football Club is an English football club based in Basingstoke, Hampshire. The club are currently members of the Conference South and play at the Camrose, named after their late benefactor, Lord Camrose. Their motto, 'Vestigia Nulla Retrorsum', means 'No stepping...
, Chertsey Town, Farnborough Town
Farnborough Town F.C.
Farnborough Football Club is an English football team currently in the Conference South after finishing top of Southern League Premier Division in 2009–10. Their home ground is known as the Rushmoor Stadium, formerly Cherrywood Road, based in Farnborough, Hampshire...
and Stevenage Borough
Stevenage Borough F.C.
Stevenage Football Club is an English football club based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The club currently participate in League One, the third tier of English football, having won promotion from League Two in the 2010–11 season...
. He played for the England semi-professional team while at Rushden & Diamonds. He was appointed assistant manager at Stevenage Borough in May 2004, but left the post in October of the same year.
External links
Sources
- Canary Citizens by Mark Davage, John Eastwood, Kevin Platt, published by Jarrold Publishing, (2001), ISBN 0-7117-2020-7