Graham Benstead
Personal information
Full name Graham Mark Benstead[1]
Date of birth (1963-08-20) 20 August 1963
Place of birth Aldershot, England
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Frimley Green
(goalkeeping coach)
Youth career
Wimbledon
0000–1981 Queens Park Rangers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1981–1985 Queens Park Rangers 0 (0)
1985 → Norwich City (loan) 1 (0)
1985–1988 Norwich City 15 (0)
1987 → Colchester United (loan) 18 (0)
1988 → Sheffield United (loan)
1988–1990 Sheffield United 47 (0)
1990–1993 Brentford 112 (0)
1993 → Kettering Town (loan)
1994–1995 Kettering Town
1995–1997 Rushden & Diamonds 45 (0)
1997 Kingstonian 0 (0)
1997–1998 Brentford 1 (0)
1998–1999 Basingstoke Town 19 (0)
1999 → Chertsey Town (loan)
2000–2003 Farnborough Town 5 (0)
2003–2004 Stevenage Borough 0 (0)
International career
England Youth
1994 England Semi-Pro 3 (0)
Managerial career
Farnborough Town (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Graham Mark Benstead (born 20 August 1963) is an English retired professional footballer who made over 110 appearances as a goalkeeper in the Football League for Brentford. He also played League football for Sheffield United, Colchester United, Norwich City and was capped by England at youth and semi-pro level. Benstead is goalkeeping coach at Frimley Green.[3]

Club career

Queens Park Rangers and Norwich City (1981–1988)

Born in Aldershot, Hampshire, Benstead began his career as a part-time player at Wimbledon and then entered the youth system at Queens Park Rangers.[4][5] He signed his first professional contract in 1981.[5] He had to wait until 8 January 1983 to make what would be his only appearance for the club, which came with a start in a 3–2 FA Cup third round defeat to West Bromwich Albion.[6] After a loan spell with Norwich City late in the 1984–85 season, Benstead joined the newly relegated Second Division club at the end of the campaign for an initial £10,000 fee, with up to £35,000 in add-ons.[7]

After promotion straight back to the First Division in 1985–86 and in the face of competition from new £100,000 signing Bryan Gunn, Benstead began the 1986–87 season as Norwich City's first-choice goalkeeper, but a shoulder injury suffered in November 1986 effectively ended his Carrow Road career.[7] After loan spells with Colchester United and Sheffield United, he joined the latter club on a permanent contract for a £35,000 fee in 1988.[5]

Sheffield United and Brentford (1988–1993)

Benstead was a regular for Sheffield United during the 1988–89 season, at the end of which the club celebrated promotion to the Second Division after a second-place finish.[5][8] He lost his place to Simon Tracey during the 1989–90 season and made just one further appearance for the club before moving to Third Division Brentford in July 1990 for a £60,000 fee,[9] with a further £10,000 to be paid after 25 appearances.[5] Benstead had a successful first season with Brentford, missing just one match, keeping 23 clean sheets and winning the club's Supporters' and Players' Player of the Year awards.[10][11][12] Despite suffering from hamstring and knee injuries,[13] things were even better during the 1991–92 season, when the Bees finished the campaign as champions of the Third Division.[11][14]

Despite missing four months of the 1992–93 First Division season with knee ligament damage and a hamstring injury,[15] Benstead made 32 appearances during the campaign,[11] which ended with relegation straight back to the Second Division.[14] Benstead rejected the new contract offered to him during the 1993 off-season and was made available for loan.[16] He failed to see eye-to-eye with new manager David Webb and made just seven early-1993–94 season appearances before joining Conference high-flyers Kettering Town on loan in October 1993.[5][17] The deal was made permanent in December 1993, with Benstead signing on a free transfer.[17] Benstead made 144 appearances during just over three seasons at Griffin Park.[5]

Non-League football and return to Brentford (1993–1997)

Benstead's 18 months with Conference club Kettering ended with second and sixth-place finishes respectively and he dropped down to the Southern League Premier Division to move to Northamptonshire rivals Rushden & Diamonds in June 1995.[18][19] He had an excellent 1995–96 season, helping the club to the Premier Division title and promotion to the Conference.[19][20] Benstead made just seven appearances during the 1996–97 season and had a non-playing spell with Kingstonian,[21] before making a surprise return to Brentford in July 1997, as player/goalkeeping coach on a week-to-week contract.[19][22][23] Minor surgery required by first-choice goalkeeper Kevin Dearden meant that Benstead made his second debut for the club in a 3–1 defeat to York City on 11 October 1997.[23][24] He made one further appearance in an FA Cup first round replay versus former club Colchester United on 25 November,[24] before being released by new manager Micky Adams in January 1998.[23]

Return to non-League football (1997–2004)

Benstead joined Isthmian League Premier Division club Basingstoke Town in 1998 and wound down his career with spells at Chertsey Town, Farnborough Town and Stevenage Borough.[23]

International career

Benstead was capped by England youth and won three caps for England Semi-Pro in 1994.[22][25]

Coaching career

Benstead has worked as a goalkeeping coach at Brentford, Basingstoke Town, Chertsey Town, Farnborough Town, Stevenage Borough and Frimley Green.[3][23][26] He served as caretaker manager of Farnborough Town for one match and in 2004 was assistant to manager Graham Westley at Stevenage Borough.[26][27]

Personal life

Benstead works as a self-employed painter and decorator.[28]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Queens Park Rangers 1982–83[6] Second Division 0 0 1 0 0 0 — 1 0
Norwich City (loan) 1984–85[29] First Division 1 0 — — — 1 0
Norwich City 1986–87[29] First Division 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0
1987–88[29] 2 0 0 0 — 0 0 2 0
Total 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 0
Colchester United (loan) 1987–88[30] Fourth Division 18 0 0 0 0 0 1[lower-alpha 1] 0 19 0
Brentford 1990–91[11] Third Division 45 0 3 0 4 0 9[lower-alpha 2] 0 61 0
1991–92[11] 37 0 1 0 2 0 2[lower-alpha 1] 0 42 0
1992–93[11] First Division 25 0 1 0 2 0 4[lower-alpha 3] 0 32 0
1993–94[11] Second Division 5 0 — 2 0 — 7 0
Total 112 0 5 0 10 0 15 0 142 0
Rushden & Diamonds 1995–96[19] Southern League Premier Division 39 0 6 0 — 6[lower-alpha 4] 0 51 0
1996–97[19] Conference 6 0 0 0 — 1[lower-alpha 5] 0 7 0
Total 45 0 6 0 — 7 0 58 0
Brentford 1997–98[24] Second Division 1 0 1 0 0 0 — 2 0
Total 113 0 6 0 10 0 15 0 144 0
Basingstoke Town 1997–98[31] Isthmian League Premier Division 7 0 — — — 7 0
1998–99[32] 12 0 6 0 — 4[lower-alpha 6] 0 22 0
Total 19 0 6 0 — 4 0 29 0
Farnborough Town 2000–01[33] Isthmian League Premier Division 0 0 1 0 — 3[lower-alpha 7] 0 4 0
2001–02[33] Conference 5 0 0 0 — 3[lower-alpha 8] 0 8 0
2002–03[34] 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0
Total 5 0 1 0 — 6 0 12 0
Stevenage Borough 2002–03[34] Conference 0 0 — — — 0 0
2003–04[35] 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0
2004–05[36] 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0
Career total 182 0 19 0 10 0 32 0 281 0
  1. 1 2 Appearances in Football League Trophy
  2. ↑ Seven appearances in Football League Third Division play-offs, two appearances in Football League Trophy
  3. ↑ Appearances in Anglo-Italian Cup
  4. ↑ Three appearances in Northamptonshire Senior Cup, one appearance in FA Trophy, one appearance in Southern League Cup, one appearance in Northamptonshire Cup
  5. ↑ Appearance in Southern League Championship Shield
  6. ↑ One appearance in FA Trophy, one appearance in Isthmian League Cup, one appearance in Isthmian League Full Members' Cup, one appearance in Hampshire Senior Cup
  7. ↑ Two appearances in Isthmian League Cup, one appearance in Hampshire Senior Cup
  8. ↑ Two appearances in Hampshire Senior Cup, one appearance in FA Trophy

Honours

Sheffield United

Brentford

Rushden & Diamonds

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Graham Benstead". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  2. ↑ Graham Benstead at Soccerbase
  3. 1 2 "Experienced Benstead Joins Frimley Green". Pitchero Non-League. 20 May 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  4. ↑ "First, Best, Worst: Graham Benstead". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2013, p. 380.
  6. 1 2 "Seasonal Stats – Files – 1982–83". QPRnet. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  7. 1 2 Norwich City Matchday Programme vs Manchester City 14 February 1987. 1987.
  8. ↑ Sheffield United F.C. at the Football Club History Database
  9. 1 2 Bassett, Dave (7 October 2002). Dave Bassett – Settling the Score. John Blake Publishing. ISBN 9781784185114.
  10. ↑ "Played for Both: Norwich City". Brentford FC. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2013). The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. pp. 476–479. ISBN 9781906796723.
  12. 1 2 3 Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2013, p. 445.
  13. ↑ Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2013, p. 82-83.
  14. 1 2 Brentford F.C. at the Football Club History Database
  15. ↑ Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2013, p. 116-120.
  16. ↑ Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2013, p. 142.
  17. 1 2 Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2013, p. 144-146.
  18. ↑ Kettering Town F.C. at the Football Club History Database
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Graham Benstead". rdfc1992. 13 August 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  20. ↑ Rushden & Diamonds F.C. at the Football Club History Database
  21. ↑ "Good squad despite loss". Croydon Guardian. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  22. 1 2 Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 20. ISBN 0955294916.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2013, p. 258-263.
  24. 1 2 3 "Games played by Graham Benstead in 1997/1998". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  25. ↑ "England Matches - The C Team (Semi-Professional & The National Game)". www.englandfootballonline.com. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  26. 1 2 "Mac takes Girvan to Boro -and gives Venables a lesson". News Shopper. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  27. ↑ "Assistant manager quits Stevenage". 28 October 2004. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  28. ↑ "Where Are They Now? Brentford Division Three Champions 1991–92". The League Paper. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  29. 1 2 3 Graham Benstead at WorldFootball.net
  30. ↑ "Player Match List – Colchester United". www.coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  31. ↑ "1997/98 matches". Basingstoke FC Online. Archived from the original on 29 June 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  32. ↑ "1998/99 matches". Basingstoke FC Online. Archived from the original on 29 June 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  33. 1 2 "Player Details". Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  34. 1 2 "Games played by Graham Benstead in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  35. ↑ "Games played by Graham Benstead in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  36. ↑ "Games played by Graham Benstead in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  • Canary Citizens by Mark Davage, John Eastwood, Kevin Platt, published by Jarrold Publishing, (2001), ISBN 0-7117-2020-7
  • Macey, Gordon (1993). Queens Park Rangers – A Complete Record. Breedon Books Sport. ISBN 978-1-873626-40-5.
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