Junior Bent Explained

Junior Bent
Fullname:Junior Antony Bent
Birth Date:1 March 1970
Birth Place:Huddersfield, England
Height:[1]
Position:Winger
Currentclub:Preston North End (Academy coach)
Youthyears1:
Youthclubs1:Huddersfield Town
Years1:1987–1990
Caps1:36
Goals1:6
Years2:1989–1990
Clubs2:Burnley (loan)
Caps2:9
Goals2:3
Years3:1990–1997
Clubs3:Bristol City
Caps3:183
Goals3:20
Years4:1992
Clubs4:Stoke City (loan)
Caps4:1
Goals4:0
Years5:1996
Clubs5:Shrewsbury Town (loan)
Caps5:6
Goals5:0
Years6:1997–2001
Clubs6:Blackpool
Caps6:103
Goals6:5
Years7:2001
Clubs7:Kettering Town
Years8:2002–2003
Clubs8:Lancaster City
Totalcaps:338
Totalgoals:34

Junior Antony Bent (born 1 March 1970) is an English former professional footballer who played as a winger in the Football League for Huddersfield Town, Burnley, Bristol City, Stoke City, Shrewsbury Town and Blackpool.[2]

Bent began his career with his hometown club Huddersfield Town playing in 44 matches and spending time on loan at Burnley before joining Bristol City in 1990. He became a regular at Ashton Gate and went on to stay for seven years making 221 appearances including short loan spells with Stoke City and Shrewsbury Town. He left Bristol City in 1997 and joined Blackpool where he stayed for three seasons before entering non-league football with Kettering Town and Lancaster City.

Career

Bent began his career as a trainee at Huddersfield Town, his hometown club, making his debut in 1987. He made 36 league appearances and scored six goals for the Terriers. During the 1989–90 season, he had a loan spell at Fourth Division side Burnley, with striker Brendan O'Connell moving in the opposite direction on a similar deal. Bent made his first appearance for Burnley on 2 December 1989 in the 1–1 draw with Grimsby Town. He went on to score three times in nine matches for the Lancashire club, including two goals in the 3–0 home win over Scarborough on 9 January 1990.[3]

In March 1990, Bent transferred to Bristol City for a £30,000 fee. He spent seven years at Ashton Gate, making almost 200 appearances and scoring 20 goals, including a last-minute winner in a League Cup tie at Bristol Rovers in his final match for the club. After loan spells at Stoke City, where he played just once, away at Torquay United he went on loan again to Shrewsbury Town, in 1992 and 1996 respectively, Bent signed for Blackpool in 1997 for a nominal fee.[4] In four years at Bloomfield Road he made just over 100 appearances and found the net on five occasions.[5] He was released in 2001,[6] and finished his career with brief spells at non-league clubs Kettering Town and, after a year out of the game, Lancaster City.

Post retirement

Bent now coaches at Preston North End. He is the Under 15s Coach.[7] [8]

Personal life

Born in England, Bent is of Jamaican descent.[9] He is a relative of the footballer Darren Bent. Bent's son Cory is also a professional footballer and plays in Canada for HFX Wanderers.[10]

Career statistics

Source:

ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Huddersfield Town1987–88Second Division7010000080
1988–89Third Division225310020276
1989–90Third Division7100101091
Total366411030447
Burnley (loan)1989–90Fourth Division9300000093
Bristol City1989–90Third Division1000000010
1990–91Second Division202103010252
1991–92Second Division172411000223
1992–93First Division203000030233
1993–94First Division202400000242
1994–95First Division416312000467
1995–96Second Division402204030492
1996–97Second Division223101030273
1997–98Second Division2000210041
Total1832015213110022123
Stoke City (loan)1991–92Third Division1000000010
Shrewsbury Town (loan)1996–97Second Division6000000060
Blackpool1997–98Second Division363200030413
1998–99Second Division391102110432
1999–2000Second Division281202030351
Total10355041701196
Career Total3383424318220040039

A.  The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Anglo-Italian Cup, Football League play-offs and Football League Trophy.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Rothmans Football Yearbook: 1995–96 . Headline Publishing Group . 1995 . 978-0-7472-7823-8 . Rollin . Glenda . London . 414 . Rollin . Jack.
  2. Web site: Junior Bent . UK A–Z Transfers . Neil Brown . 13 November 2009.
  3. Book: Simpson, Ray. The Clarets Collection 1946–1996. 1996. Burnley F.C.. 0-9521799-0-3. 22.
  4. Book: Matthews, Tony. The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. 1994. Lion Press. 0952415100.
  5. Web site: Junior Bent . Soccerbase . Centurycomm . 9 November 2009.
  6. News: Steve McMahon announces retained list . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20010608212904/http://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/news.htm . 8 June 2001 . BlackpoolFC.co.uk . Blackpool Football Club . 4 June 2001 . 11 May 2020.
  7. News: Hesketh adds winger . https://archive.today/20120720195627/http://archive.lancashireeveningtelegraph.co.uk/2002/12/12/579851.html . dead . 20 July 2012 . Lancashire Evening Telegraph . 12 December 2002 . 13 November 2009 .
  8. News: Last gasp goal leaves City pointless . https://archive.today/20120708110349/http://archive.lancashireeveningtelegraph.co.uk/2002/12/20/576934.html . dead . 8 July 2012 . Lancashire Evening Telegraph . 20 December 2002 . 13 November 2009 .
  9. News: Stuart . Roach . Bent targets revival at Wigan . BBC Sport . 24 September 2007 . 11 July 2011.
  10. Web site: Joshua Rendle . Familial Ties Inspire Bent Further in the Game . Victoria Highlanders . 16 August 2020 . 21 June 2018.