| Ben Burley | |
| Fullname: | Benjamin Burley |
| Birth Date: | 2 November 1907 |
| Birth Place: | Sheffield, England |
| Death Place: | Great Yarmouth, England |
| Position: | Outside forward |
| Youthclubs1: | Darnall School |
| Youthclubs2: | Netherhope Institute |
| Youthclubs3: | Woodhouse Mill United |
| Years1: | 1931–1933 |
| Clubs1: | Sheffield United |
| Caps1: | 0 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 1933–1934 |
| Clubs2: | Southampton |
| Caps2: | 2 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 1934–1935 |
| Clubs3: | Grimsby Town |
| Caps3: | 22 |
| Goals3: | 5 |
| Years4: | 1935–1938 |
| Clubs4: | Norwich City |
| Caps4: | 35 |
| Goals4: | 4 |
| Years5: | 1938–1939 |
| Clubs5: | Darlington |
| Caps5: | 35 |
| Goals5: | 7 |
| Years6: | 1939–1940 |
| Clubs6: | Chelmsford City |
| Manageryears1: | 1951–1954 |
| Managerclubs1: | Chelmsford City |
Benjamin Burley (2 November 1907 – 25 January 2003)[1] was an English professional footballer who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in the 1930s, including Southampton, Grimsby Town, Norwich City and Darlington.[2] He was later a coach before becoming manager of Chelmsford City in the 1950s.
Burley was born in Sheffield where he was educated at Darnall School and played football as a youth for Netherhope Institute and Woodhouse Mill United. He also played schoolboy football for the Sheffield and Yorkshire F.A.s.[3]
In November 1931, he joined Sheffield United but never made any first-team appearances before a transfer to the south coast to join Southampton of the Football League Second Division in September 1933. Described as a "stocky and thrustful winger",[3] he was used as cover for Fred Tully and Bill Luckett and his only first-team appearances came at outside-left in the last two matches of the 1933–34 season, both defeats.[4]
In the summer of 1934, he moved to Grimsby Town who had just been promoted to the First Division. Burley remained for a season, scoring five goals in 22 appearances[2] as Grimsby finished fifth in the league, their highest-ever league position.[5]
Burley moved on in the summer of 1935, to return to the Second Division with Norwich City. He made his debut on 7 September 1935[6] and played 35 league matches, scoring four goals,[2] [7] over a three-year period, before joining Darlington in May 1938. In his one season at Feethams, Burley rarely missed a match in the Third Division North, scoring seven goals from 35 league appearances.[2]
In July 1939, he dropped out of the Football League to join Chelmsford City, who had joined the Southern League a year earlier. In a season which was truncated because of the Second World War, Chelmsford won the Eastern section and then drew with Lovell's Athletic in the play-offs; both teams were declared joint champions.[8]
During the war, Burley played as a guest for various clubs, including Southend United, Millwall, Brighton & Hove Albion, Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace.[3]
After the war, Burley obtained his F.A. coaching badge, before working as a coach in the Netherlands.[3]
In June 1951, he returned to Chelmsford City, initially as a coach,[3] before replacing Billy Walsh as manager in August.[9] In Burley's three seasons in charge at Chelmsford, the club finished in the lower half of the Southern League table[8] and in 1954, Burley was replaced by Frank Grice. In his time as manager, Chelmsford City played 105 matches, of which 30 were won, 21 drawn and 54 lost.[10]
Chelmsford City