Ben Mills (footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Ben Mills

| image =

| caption =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|3|23|df=y}}

| birth_place = Stoke-on-Trent, England

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=2}}

| position = Forward

| currentclub = Whitchurch Alport

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Port Vale

| youthyears2 = ?–2007

| youthclubs2 = Leek Town

| years1 = 2007–2008 | clubs1 = Newcastle Town | caps1 = 32 | goals1 = 9

| years2 = 2008 | clubs2 = → Leek Town (loan) | caps2 = 4 | goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2008–2009 | clubs3 = Leek Town | caps3 = 33 | goals3 = 12

| years4 = 2009 | clubs4 = Stafford Rangers | caps4 = 15 | goals4 = 6

| years5 = 2009–2010 | clubs5 = Alfreton Town | caps5 = 13 | goals5 = 1

| years6 = 2010–2011 | clubs6 = Stafford Rangers | caps6 = 33 | goals6 = 6

| years7 = 2011–2012 | clubs7 = Nantwich Town | caps7 = 25 | goals7 = 11

| years8 = 2012 | clubs8 = Macclesfield Town | caps8 = 13 | goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2012 | clubs9 = → Chester (loan) | caps9 = 8 | goals9 = 9

| years10 = 2012–2013 | clubs10 = Chester | caps10 = 24 | goals10 = 4

| years11 = 2013 | clubs11 = → Altrincham (loan) | caps11 = 4 | goals11 = 1

| years12 = 2013–2014 | clubs12 = Brackley Town | caps12 = 19 | goals12 = 3

| years13 = 2014 | clubs13 = Leek Town | caps13 = 9 | goals13 = 5

| years14 = 2014 | clubs14 = Newcastle Town | caps14 = 8 | goals14 = 1

| years15 = 2015 | clubs15 = Witton Albion | caps15 = 7 | goals15 = 2

| years16 = 2015– | clubs16 = Newcastle Town | caps16 = 5 | goals16 = 2

| years17 = 2017– | clubs17 = Whitchurch Alport | caps17 = | goals17 =

| club-update = 17:00, 18 July 2019 (UTC)

}}

Ben Mills (born 23 March 1989) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Whitchurch Alport.

Career

Mills was a trainee at Port Vale{{cite web|title=Crewe Alex: No striking reunion for Alex boss Davis|url=http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Crewe-Alex-striking-reunion-Alex-boss-Davis/story-14421896-detail/story.html|publisher=The Sentinel|accessdate=15 October 2012|date=14 January 2012}} and was also at Leek Town as a youth player.{{cite web|last=Dawson|first=Stephen|title=eek Town Youth 5–1 Stone Dominoes|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/content/articles/2007/02/19/jnrft06_leek_stone_feature.shtml|publisher=BBC|accessdate=15 October 2012|date=19 February 2007}}

He joined Newcastle Town in July 2007, turning down a deal with Leek{{cite web|title=Newcomers flood into a very wet Harrison Park|url=http://www.leek-news.co.uk/Sport/Newcomers-flood-into-a-very-wet-Harrison-Park.htm|publisher=Leek Post & Times|date=11 July 2007|access-date=15 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110141549/http://www.leek-news.co.uk/Sport/Newcomers-flood-into-a-very-wet-Harrison-Park.htm|archive-date=10 November 2013|url-status=dead}} and in September 2008 joined former club Leek, initially on loan.{{cite web|title=UniBond Shorts|url=http://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/article.asp?aid=4893&iid=94&sud=1254|publisher=The Non-League Paper|accessdate=15 October 2012|date=7 September 2008}}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} However, the decision by Newcastle to take Mills off contract to enable him to play for Leek backfired on the club, after the player decided to remain with Leek and sign with them.{{cite web|last=Harper|first=Chris|title=Non-league football: Newcastle set to lose striker Mills|url=http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Non-league-football-Newcastle-set-lose-striker-Mills/story-12490399-detail/story.html|publisher=This Is Staffordshire|accessdate=15 October 2012|date=18 October 2008}}

In March 2009 he turned down moves to Stafford Rangers{{cite web|last=White|first=Andy|title=Mills Turns Down Step Up|url=http://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/article.asp?aid=7308&iid=126&sud=230|publisher=The Non-League Paper|accessdate=15 October 2012|date=17 March 2009}}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and to Tamworth and Hednesford Town.{{cite web|last=White|first=Andy|title=Pitmen Keen on Mills|url=http://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/article.asp?aid=7335&iid=126&sud=287|publisher=The Non-League Paper|accessdate=15 October 2012|date=12 March 2009}}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} opting to remain with Leek for the remainder of the season. In July did sign for Stafford, with an opportunity to play at two steps higher in the football pyramid.{{cite web|last=White|first=Andy|title=Stafford Sign Striker Mills|url=http://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/article.asp?aid=8470&iid=141&sud=230|publisher=The Non-League Paper|accessdate=15 October 2012|date=2 July 2009}}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

He then spent time with Alfreton Town{{cite web|title=Alfreton Town: Striker Mills joins Reds|url=http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/Alfreton-Town-Striker-Mills-joins-Reds/story-11570143-detail/story.html|publisher=This Is Derbyshire|accessdate=28 September 2012|date=20 November 2009}} before returning for a second spell at Stafford Rangers.{{cite web|title=The lure of Ben Mills' Rangers return|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2010/06/17/the-lure-of-ben-mills-rangers-return/|publisher=Express & Star|accessdate=28 September 2012|date=17 June 2010}}

In the 2011/12 season he played for Nantwich Town,{{cite web|title=Ben Mills leaves Rangers for Nantwich|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2011/06/06/mills-leaves-rangers-for-nantwich/|work=Express and Star|accessdate=28 September 2012|date=6 June 2011}} including featuring for the club in their 6–0 defeat by MK Dons in the FA Cup in November 2011.

He moved to Macclesfield Town in January 2012{{cite web|title=Macclesfield Town sign Ben Mills from Nantwich Town|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/16441044|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=28 September 2012|date=19 January 2012}} and made his Football League debut on 14 January in a League Two game against Torquay.{{cite web|title=Macclesfield 1 – 2 Torquay|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/16453280|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=15 October 2012|date=14 January 2012}}

In August 2012 he joined Chester on loan,{{cite web|title=Ben Mills in Chester loan|url=http://www.mtfc.co.uk/news/article/ben-mills-in-chester-loan-160812-317019.aspx|publisher=Macclesfield Town FC|accessdate=28 September 2012|date=16 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818013114/http://www.mtfc.co.uk/news/article/ben-mills-in-chester-loan-160812-317019.aspx|archive-date=18 August 2012|url-status=dead}} scoring nine goals in the seven appearances he made for the club during his loan spell, including a hat-trick in a 4–0 victory over Guiseley.{{cite web|last=Wheelock|first=Paul|title=Chester FC: Hat-trick hero Ben Mills would 'love' to join Blues – if a deal can be agreed|url=http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/chester-fc/2012/09/08/chester-fc-hat-trick-hero-ben-mills-would-love-to-join-blues-if-a-deal-can-be-agreed-59067-31795861/|publisher=Chester Chronicle|accessdate=15 October 2012|date=8 September 2012}} Whilst Mills was keen to join Chester if the right deal could be made Macclesfield initially rejected Chester's offer but then indicated they would be willing to accept their bid, however Chester manager Neil Young chose not to continue negotiations due to a tight transfer budget.{{cite web|last=Wheelock|first=Paul|title=Chester FC: Ben Mills will not be signing for Blues as transfer saga finally ends|url=http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/chester-fc/chester-fc-news/2012/09/20/chester-fc-ben-mills-will-not-be-signing-for-blues-as-transfer-saga-finally-ends-59067-31874201/|publisher=Chester Chronicle|accessdate=15 October 2012|date=20 September 2012}}

After his return from loan he made his first appearance for Macclesfield in the Conference National in October 2012.{{cite web|title=Macclesfield 1 – 1 Newport Co|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19854816|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=15 October 2012|date=13 October 2012}}

In November 2012, with a lack of first team football, Mills transferred back to Chester on a permanent basis, despite being reluctant on a move to part-time football 2 months earlier. The move was funded by donations from Chester fans.

Struggling with injuries and form he was loaned to Altrincham,{{cite web|url=http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/chester-fc-shock-altrincham-loan-5114360|title=Chester FC: Shock Altrincham loan will do Ben Mills 'world of good'|date=21 February 2013|work=chesterchronicle.co.uk|accessdate=16 September 2016}} scoring once in four games. He sustained an injury which ended his season. He returned to Chester for the start of the next season but only managed to score once within eleven appearances and left the club in October 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.chesterfc.com/news/article/mills-leaves-1135435.aspx|title=Ben Mills to leave the Deva|work=chesterfc.com|accessdate=16 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304081852/http://www.chesterfc.com/news/article/mills-leaves-1135435.aspx#|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}

After spells with Brackley Town, Leek Town and Newcastle Town he signed for Witton Albion in August 2015.{{cite web|url=http://wittonalbionfc.89media.co.uk/news/details.php?news_id=11786|title=Witton Albion FC – BEN MILLS|work=89media.co.uk|accessdate=16 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917082933/http://wittonalbionfc.89media.co.uk/news/details.php?news_id=11786#|archive-date=17 September 2016|url-status=dead}}