Ted Fenton
Encyclopedia
Edward "Ted" Fenton was manager of English
football
club West Ham United
between 1950 and 1961.
. He joined the Army
and served as a PT instructor in North Africa
and Burma.
Mainly as a wing half, but also as a utility player, Fenton made 179 appearances and scored 19 goals in first class games for the Hammers. He also made 204 appearances and scored 44 goals during World War II fixtures.
team Colchester United
.
in 1948 to become assistant manager to Charlie Paynter
before becoming manager of West Ham in 1950. Fenton's greatest achievement was in winning The Hammers the Division Two championship in the 1957-58 season and thereby securing the club top flight fotball for the first time since 1932. The 1957-58 and 1958–59 seasons saw The Hammers achieve two goalscoring records; 1957-58 101 league goals in a season and 1958–59, 59 home league goals in a season which was even more remarkable being the season following promotion to Division One.
During his time Fenton was responsible for establishing "The Academy" and the development of youth teams that reached the F.A. Youth Cup Final twice in three Years over the period 1956-59. With the help of Chairman Reg Pratt he was also responsible for encouraging as many players as possible in taking their FA Coaching Badges to ensure the players had something to fall back on when their playing days were over. Fenton's departure from West Ham in March 1961 has never been fully explained by the club. Under strain and on sick-leave and with West Ham's league position suffering he left the club under circumstances which both he and the club decided would remain confidential. He was succeeded as manager in 1961 by Ron Greenwood.
Seven of the West Ham 1964
FA Cup
winning team had either been signed by Ted Fenton from other clubs, or had worked their way up from the Academy
during his time as manager.
before his dismissal in May 1965. He never returned to football following his sacking by Southend.
His brother Benny Fenton
was also a West Ham United player and later managed Millwall.
, and died in hospital seven days later from his injuries.Since leaving football, he had run a sports equipment business in Brentwood
and this was subsequently taken over by his family.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
between 1950 and 1961.
West Ham United
A prolific goal scorer as a schoolboy Fenton joined West Ham schoolboys eleven and won an England schoolboys eleven cap against Scotland, at Ibrox Park, in 1929. He made his West Ham debut in 1932 and played regularly until the outbreak of World War IIWorld 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...
. He joined the Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and served as a PT instructor 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...
and Burma.
Mainly as a wing half, but also as a utility player, Fenton made 179 appearances and scored 19 goals in first class games for the Hammers. He also made 204 appearances and scored 44 goals during World War II fixtures.
Colchester United
At the end of the war Fenton went on to become player-manager at Southern LeagueSouthern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
team 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....
.
West Ham United
He returned to Upton ParkBoleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
in 1948 to become assistant manager to Charlie Paynter
Charlie Paynter
Charlie Paynter was the manager of West Ham United from 1932-1950.He moved to Plaistow with his family as a child. He played for the football team Victoria Swifts, but while still a teenager he also developed an interest in physiotherapy. Paynter first became involved with West Ham as unpaid help...
before becoming manager of West Ham in 1950. Fenton's greatest achievement was in winning The Hammers the Division Two championship in the 1957-58 season and thereby securing the club top flight fotball for the first time since 1932. The 1957-58 and 1958–59 seasons saw The Hammers achieve two goalscoring records; 1957-58 101 league goals in a season and 1958–59, 59 home league goals in a season which was even more remarkable being the season following promotion to Division One.
During his time Fenton was responsible for establishing "The Academy" and the development of youth teams that reached the F.A. Youth Cup Final twice in three Years over the period 1956-59. With the help of Chairman Reg Pratt he was also responsible for encouraging as many players as possible in taking their FA Coaching Badges to ensure the players had something to fall back on when their playing days were over. Fenton's departure from West Ham in March 1961 has never been fully explained by the club. Under strain and on sick-leave and with West Ham's league position suffering he left the club under circumstances which both he and the club decided would remain confidential. He was succeeded as manager in 1961 by Ron Greenwood.
Seven of the West Ham 1964
West Ham United F.C. 1963-1964
West Ham won the FA Cup Final for the first time, coming from behind to beat Preston North End 3–2. The goals were scored by John Sissons, Geoff Hurst and Ronnie Boyce....
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...
winning team had either been signed by Ted Fenton from other clubs, or had worked their way up from the Academy
The Academy of Football
The Academy of Football, or just The Academy, is a nickname of the English football club West Ham United.The title pays homage to the success of the club in coaching talented young players...
during his time as manager.
Southend United
Following his exit from West Ham, Fenton had four undistinguished years as manager of Southend UnitedSouthend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
before his dismissal in May 1965. He never returned to football following his sacking by Southend.
His brother Benny Fenton
Benny Fenton
Benjamin Robert Vincent Fenton was an English professional football player and manager.-Playing career:Fenton signed for Colchester Town in 1934, moving to West Ham United a year later...
was also a West Ham United player and later managed Millwall.
Death
On 4 July 1992, he was injured in a car crash in LeicestershireLeicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, and died in hospital seven days later from his injuries.Since leaving football, he had run a sports equipment business in Brentwood
Brentwood, Essex
Brentwood is a town and the principal settlement of the Borough of Brentwood, in the county of Essex in the east of England. It is located in the London commuter belt, 20 miles east north-east of Charing Cross in London, and near the M25 motorway....
and this was subsequently taken over by his family.