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Graham Benstead

{{Short description|English footballer (born 1963)}}

{{Use British English|date=August 2011}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Graham Benstead

| image =

| fullname = Graham Mark Benstead{{Hugman|id=1422|accessdate=15 January 2018}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1963|8|20}}

| birth_place = Aldershot, England

| height = 1.88 m{{Soccerbase|id=12357|accessdate=25 February 2012}}

| currentclub = Frimley Green
(goalkeeping coach)

| position = Goalkeeper

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Wimbledon

| youthyears2 = {{0|0000}}–1981

| youthclubs2 = Queens Park Rangers

| years1 = 1981–1985

| clubs1 = Queens Park Rangers

| caps1 = 0

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1985

| clubs2 = → Norwich City (loan)

| caps2 = 1

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1985–1988

| clubs3 = Norwich City

| caps3 = 15

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1987

| clubs4 = → Colchester United (loan)

| caps4 = 18

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 1988

| clubs5 = → Sheffield United (loan)

| caps5 =

| goals5 =

| years6 = 1988–1990

| clubs6 = Sheffield United

| caps6 = 47

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 1990–1993

| clubs7 = Brentford

| caps7 = 112

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 1993

| clubs8 = → Kettering Town (loan)

| caps8 =

| goals8 =

| years9 = 1994–1995

| clubs9 = Kettering Town

| caps9 =

| goals9 =

| years10 = 1995–1997

| clubs10 = Rushden & Diamonds

| caps10 = 45

| goals10 = 0

| years11 = 1997

| clubs11 = Kingstonian

| caps11 = 0

| goals11 = 0

| years12 = 1997–1998

| clubs12 = Brentford

| caps12 = 1

| goals12 = 0

| years13 = 1998–1999

| clubs13 = Basingstoke Town

| caps13 = 19

| goals13 = 0

| years14 = 1999

| clubs14 = → Chertsey Town (loan)

| caps14 =

| goals14 =

| years15 = 2000–2003

| clubs15 = Farnborough Town

| caps15 = 5

| goals15 = 0

| years16 = 2003–2004

| clubs16 = Stevenage Borough

| caps16 = 0

| goals16 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 1981

| nationalteam1 = England Youth

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 1994

| nationalteam2 = England Semi-Pro

| nationalcaps2 = 3

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| manageryears1 =

| managerclubs1 = Farnborough Town (caretaker)

}}

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.{{Cite news |date=20 May 2017 |title=Experienced Benstead Joins Frimley Green |url=http://nonleague.pitchero.com/news/combined-counties-league/experienced-benstead-joins-frimley-green/ |access-date=15 January 2018 |work=Pitchero Non-League |language=en-US}}

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.{{Cite web |title=First, Best, Worst: Graham Benstead |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2018/june/first-best-worst-graham-benstead/ |access-date=3 January 2019 |website=www.brentfordfc.com |language=en-gb}}{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=380}} He signed his first professional contract in 1981.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=380}} 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. 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.{{Cite book |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/114058793@N05/15021135999/in/photolist-bqDQS8-91bBje-qNAqPG-9xTinJ-9xi4U8-oTnfpr-9vYfQB-evJFoN |title=Norwich City Matchday Programme vs Manchester City 14 February 1987 |year=1987}}

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. 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.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=380}}

= 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.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=380}}{{Fchd|id=SHEFFIEU|name=Sheffield United F.C.}} 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,{{Cite book |last=Bassett |first=Dave |title=Dave Bassett – Settling the Score |date=7 October 2002 |publisher=John Blake Publishing |isbn=9781784185114 |language=en}} with a further £10,000 to be paid after 25 appearances.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=380}} 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.{{Cite news |title=Played for Both: Norwich City |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2016/december/played-for-both-norwich-city/ |access-date=16 January 2018 |work=Brentford FC |language=en-gb}}{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=445}} Despite suffering from hamstring and knee injuries,{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=82-83}} things were even better during the 1991–92 season, when the Bees finished the campaign as champions of the Third Division.{{Fchd|id=BRENTFOR|name=Brentford F.C.}}

Despite missing four months of the 1992–93 First Division season with knee ligament damage and a hamstring injury,{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=116-120}} Benstead made 32 appearances during the campaign, which ended with relegation straight back to the Second Division. Benstead rejected the new contract offered to him during the 1993 off-season and was made available for loan.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=142}} 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.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=380}}{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=144-146}} The deal was made permanent in December 1993, with Benstead signing on a free transfer.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=144-146}} Benstead made 144 appearances during just over three seasons at Griffin Park.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=380}}

= 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.{{Fchd|id=KETTERIT|name=Kettering Town F.C.}} He had an excellent 1995–96 season, helping the club to the Premier Division title and promotion to the Conference.{{Fchd|id=RUSHDEND|name=Rushden & Diamonds F.C.}} Benstead made just seven appearances during the 1996–97 season and had a non-playing spell with Kingstonian,{{Cite web |title=Good squad despite loss |url=http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/news/6499265.Good_squad_despite_loss/ |access-date=16 January 2018 |website=Croydon Guardian |language=en}} before making a surprise return to Brentford in July 1997, as player/goalkeeping coach on a week-to-week contract.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=258-263}} 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.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=258-263}} He made one further appearance in an FA Cup first round replay versus former club Colchester United on 25 November, before being released by new manager Micky Adams in January 1998.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=258-263}}

= 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.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=258-263}}

International career

Benstead was capped once by England youth and won three caps for England Semi-Pro in 1994.{{Cite book |last=Haynes |first=Graham |title=Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006 |last2=Coumbe |first2=Frank |publisher=Yore Publications |year=2006 |isbn=0955294916 |location=Harefield |page=20}}{{Cite web |title=England Matches - Youth/Under-18's 1980-90 |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/matchrsl/MatchRslTmU18pg4.html |access-date=13 October 2024 |website=www.englandfootballonline.com}}{{Cite web |title=England Matches – The C Team (Semi-Professional & The National Game) |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/matchrsl/MatchRslTmC.html |access-date=17 June 2021 |website=www.englandfootballonline.com}}

Coaching career

Benstead has worked as a goalkeeping coach at Brentford, Basingstoke Town, Chertsey Town, Farnborough Town, Stevenage Borough and Frimley Green.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2013|p=258-263}}{{Cite web |title=Mac takes Girvan to Boro -and gives Venables a lesson |url=http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/6267854.Mac_takes_Girvan_to_Boro__and_gives_Venables_a_lesson/?ref=arc |access-date=15 January 2018 |website=News Shopper |language=en}} He served as caretaker manager of Farnborough Town for one match and in 2004 was assistant to manager Graham Westley at Stevenage Borough.{{Cite news |date=28 October 2004 |title=Assistant manager quits Stevenage |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/o/oldham_athletic/3962357.stm |access-date=15 January 2018 |language=en-GB}}

Personal life

Benstead works as a self-employed painter and decorator.{{Cite news |title=Where Are They Now? Brentford Division Three Champions 1991–92 |url=https://www.theleaguepaper.com/latest-news/football-league-division-one/1035/where-are-they-now-brentford-division-three-champions-1991-92/ |access-date=15 January 2018 |work=The League Paper |language=en-GB}}

Career statistics

{{Expand section|

  • Norwich City 1985–86 and cup appearances
  • Sheffield United
  • Kettering Town
  • Chertsey Town|date=January 2018}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

! rowspan="2" |Club

! rowspan="2" |Season

! colspan="3" |League

! colspan="2" |FA Cup

! colspan="2" |League Cup

! colspan="2" |Other

! colspan="2" |Total

Division

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

Queens Park Rangers

|1982–83{{Cite web |title=Seasonal Stats – Files – 1982–83 |url=http://www.qprnet.com/uploads/1/2/0/8/120823999/qpr1982.xls |access-date=15 January 2018 |website=QPRnet}}

|Second Division

|0

|0

|1

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|1

|0

Norwich City (loan)

|1984–85{{WorldFootball.net|id=graham-benstead}}

|First Division

|1

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|1

|0

rowspan="3" |Norwich City

|1986–87

|First Division

|13

|0

|0

|0

|0

|0

|0

|0

|13

|0

1987–88

|First Division

|2

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|0

|0

|2

|0

colspan="2" |Total

!16

!0

!0

!0

!0

!0

!0

!0

!19

!0

Colchester United (loan)

|1987–88{{Cite web |title=Player Match List – Colchester United |url=http://www.coludata.co.uk/content.php?pg=matchesplayed&fplyShowAll=true&fdfaShowAll=true&frt=rescomp&pd=1022&fsea=all&fply=443 |access-date=15 January 2018 |website=www.coludata.co.uk |language=en}}

|Fourth Division

|18

|0

|0

|0

|0

|0

|1{{efn|name=FLT|Appearances in Football League Trophy}}

|0

|19

|0

rowspan="5" |Brentford

|1990–91{{Cite book |last=Croxford |first=Mark |title=The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties |last2=Lane |first2=David |last3=Waterman |first3=Greville |publisher=Legends Publishing |year=2013 |isbn=9781906796723 |location=Sunbury, Middlesex |pages=476–479}}

|Third Division

|45

|0

|3

|0

|4

|0

|9{{efn|Seven appearances in Football League Third Division play-offs, two appearances in Football League Trophy}}

|0

|61

|0

1991–92

|Third Division

|37

|0

|1

|0

|2

|0

|2{{efn|name=FLT}}

|0

|42

|0

1992–93

|First Division

|25

|0

|1

|0

|2

|0

|4{{efn|Appearances in Anglo-Italian Cup}}

|0

|32

|0

1993–94

|Second Division

|5

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|2

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|7

|0

colspan="2" |Total

!112

!0

!5

!0

!10

!0

!15

!0

!142

!0

rowspan="3" |Rushden & Diamonds

|1995–96{{Cite news |date=13 August 2012 |title=Graham Benstead |url=https://rdfc1992.com/2012/08/13/graham-benstead/ |access-date=15 January 2018 |work=rdfc1992 |language=en-US}}

|Southern League Premier Division

|39

|0

|6

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|6{{efn|Three appearances in Northamptonshire Senior Cup, one appearance in FA Trophy, one appearance in Southern League Cup, one appearance in Northamptonshire Cup}}

|0

|51

|0

1996–97

|Conference

|6

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|1{{efn|Appearance in Southern League Championship Shield}}

|0

|7

|0

colspan="2" |Total

!45

!0

!6

!0

! colspan="2" |—

!7

!0

!58

!0

rowspan="2" |Brentford

|1997–98{{Soccerbase season|id=127|season=1997|access-date=15 January 2018}}

|Second Division

|1

|0

|1

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|2

|0

colspan="2" |Total

!113

!0

!6

!0

!10

!0

!15

!0

!144

!0

rowspan="3" |Basingstoke Town

|1997–98{{Cite web |title=1997/98 matches |url=http://www.basingstokefc.co.uk:80/stats/player2.php?id=110&season=8 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070629025442/http://www.basingstokefc.co.uk/stats/player2.php?id=110&season=8 |archive-date=29 June 2007 |access-date=15 January 2018 |website=Basingstoke FC Online}}

|Isthmian League Premier Division

|7

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|7

|0

1998–99{{Cite web |title=1998/99 matches |url=http://www.basingstokefc.co.uk:80/stats/player2.php?id=110&season=7 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070629032106/http://www.basingstokefc.co.uk/stats/player2.php?id=110&season=7 |archive-date=29 June 2007 |access-date=15 January 2018 |website=Basingstoke FC Online}}

|Isthmian League Premier Division

|12

|0

|6

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|4{{efn|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}}

|0

|22

|0

colspan="2" |Total

!19

!0

!6

!0

! colspan="2" |—

!4

!0

!29

!0

rowspan="4" |Farnborough Town

|2000–01{{Cite web |title=Player Details |url=http://www.farney.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=143&ffc_pid=1005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407155310/http://www.farney.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=143&ffc_pid=1005 |archive-date=7 April 2015 |access-date=15 January 2018}}

|Isthmian League Premier Division

|0

|0

|1

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|3{{efn|Two appearances in Isthmian League Cup, one appearance in Hampshire Senior Cup}}

|0

|4

|0

2001–02

|Conference

|5

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|3{{efn|Two appearances in Hampshire Senior Cup, one appearance in FA Trophy}}

|0

|8

|0

2002–03{{Soccerbase season|id=127|season=2002|access-date=15 January 2018}}

|Conference

|0

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|0

|0

|0

|0

colspan="2" |Total

!5

!0

!1

!0

! colspan="2" |—

!6

!0

!12

!0

rowspan="4" |Stevenage Borough

|2002–03

|Conference

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|0

|0

2003–04{{Soccerbase season|id=127|season=2003|access-date=15 January 2018}}

|Conference

|0

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|0

|0

|0

|0

2004–05{{Soccerbase season|id=127|season=2004|access-date=15 January 2018}}

|Conference

|0

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|0

|0

|0

|0

colspan="2" |Total

!0

!0

!0

!0

! colspan="2" |—

!0

!0

!0

!0

colspan="3" |Career total

!182

!0

!19

!0

!10

!0

!32

!0

!281

!0

{{notelist}}

Honours

Sheffield United

Brentford

Rushden & Diamonds

Individual

References

{{reflist}}

  • {{cite book|title=Canary Citizens|author1=Mark Davage|author2= John Eastwood|author3= Kevin Platt|publisher=Jarrold Publishing|year=2001|ISBN=0-7117-2020-7}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Macey, Gordon |title=Queens Park Rangers – A Complete Record |publisher=Breedon Books Sport |year=1993 |isbn=978-1-873626-40-5}}

External links

  • {{Soccerbase}}

{{Brentford F.C. Player of the Year}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Benstead, Graham}}

Category:1963 births

Category:Living people

Category:Queens Park Rangers F.C. players

Category:Norwich City F.C. players

Category:Colchester United F.C. players

Category:Sheffield United F.C. players

Category:Brentford F.C. players

Category:Kettering Town F.C. players

Category:Rushden & Diamonds F.C. players

Category:Basingstoke Town F.C. players

Category:Farnborough F.C. players

Category:Footballers from Aldershot

Category:England men's semi-pro international footballers

Category:Men's association football goalkeepers

Category:Chertsey Town F.C. players

Category:Stevenage F.C. players

Category:England men's youth international footballers

Category:Farnborough F.C. managers

Category:Stevenage F.C. non-playing staff

Category:National League (English football) players

Category:Isthmian League players

Category:National League (English football) managers

Category:Southern Football League players

Category:English Football League players

Category:English football managers

Category:Brentford F.C. non-playing staff

Category:English men's footballers