| Rhys Bennett | |
| Fullname: | Rhys Gordon Bennett[1] |
| Birth Place: | Whitefield, England |
| Birth Date: | 1 September 1991 |
| Position: | Defender / defensive midfielder |
| Youthclubs1: | Radcliffe Borough |
| Youthyears2: | –2009 |
| Youthclubs2: | Bolton Wanderers |
| Years1: | 2009–2012 |
| Clubs1: | Bolton Wanderers |
| Caps1: | 0 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2011–2012 |
| Clubs2: | → Falkirk (loan) |
| Caps2: | 19 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2012–2016 |
| Clubs3: | Rochdale |
| Caps3: | 110 |
| Goals3: | 6 |
| Years4: | 2016–2018 |
| Clubs4: | Mansfield Town |
| Caps4: | 84 |
| Goals4: | 4 |
| Years5: | 2018–2020 |
| Clubs5: | Peterborough United |
| Caps5: | 50 |
| Goals5: | 4 |
| Clubs6: | Carlisle United |
| Caps6: | 24 |
| Goals6: | 5 |
| Years6: | 2020–2021 |
| Clubs7: | Gillingham |
| Caps7: | 18 |
| Goals7: | 0 |
| Years7: | 2021–2022 |
| Clubs8: | Morecambe |
| Caps8: | 12 |
| Goals8: | 0 |
| Years8: | 2022 |
| Clubs9: | Rochdale |
| Caps9: | 1 |
| Goals9: | 0 |
| Years9: | 2023 |
| Club-Update: | 11:58, 8 February 2023 (UTC) |
Rhys Gordon Bennett (born 1 September 1991) is an English professional footballer who is currently without a club. He plays as a central defender, although he has also been deployed in defensive midfield, and as a full-back.
Bennett started his professional career at Bolton Wanderers, regularly playing in the reserve side and wearing the captain's armband on occasions.[2] Having not made an appearance for the first team he was sent out on loan to Falkirk in July 2011 by manager Owen Coyle.
On 6 July 2011, it was announced that Falkirk had signed Bennett on a six-month loan,[3] which was extended until the end of the season on 9 January 2012.[4] Bennett made his debut on 23 July 2011, scoring a 26th-minute opener against Brechin City in the 1st round of the Scottish Challenge Cup.[5]
He made his league debut on 6 August 2011 in a 1–0 loss against Raith Rovers.[6]
Bennett was an unused substitute when Falkirk defeated Hamilton Academical 1-0 in the 2012 Scottish Challenge Cup final.[7]
On 11 June 2012, Rochdale announced that Bennett had signed a one-year contract at the club effective on 1 July 2012.[8] He made his debut on 4 September in a 2–2 draw against Fleetwood Town in the Football League Trophy. The game went to a penalty shoot-out which Rochdale won 4–2 and progressed to the second round.[9] He made his league debut on 15 September in a 2–1 win away to AFC Wimbledon.[10]
He scored his first goal for the club on 1 December, in a 3–2 defeat to York City.[11]
Bennett joined Mansfield Town on a free transfer in June 2016.[12]
He was released by Mansfield at the end of the 2017–18 season.[13]
Bennett joined Peterborough United on a free transfer in May 2018. He followed in the footsteps of former Mansfield Town manager Steve Evans in the same season.[14]
On 12 November 2020, Bennett joined Carlisle United on a short-term deal until January 2021.[15] On 5 January 2021, Bennett signed an extended deal to remain at the club until the end of the 2020–21 season.[16] Bennett rejected a new offer from the Cumbrian club at the end of the season.[17]
Bennett signed for EFL League One side Gillingham on 23 July 2021.[18] He made his debut for the Gills on the opening day of the 2021–22 season in a 1–1 home draw to Lincoln City on 7 August 2021.[19]
Having reached a mutual agreement with Gillingham to terminate his contract, Bennett signed for fellow EFL League One side Morecambe on 28 January 2022.[20] He made his league debut for the Lancashire side the next day, appearing as a 28th minute substitute in a 2–2 away draw to Accrington Stanley.[21] Bennett was released by the club at the end of the season.[22]
On 28 January 2023, Bennett returned to Rochdale signing a contract till the end of the 2022-2023 season.[23]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Bolton Wanderers | 2011–12 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Falkirk (loan) | 2011–12 | Scottish First Division | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 25 | 1 | |
| Rochdale | 2012–13 | League Two | 33 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 2 | |
| 2013–14 | League Two | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | League One | 39 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 3 | ||
| 2015–16 | League One | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 2 | ||
| Total | 110 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 129 | 7 | |||
| Mansfield Town | 2016–17 | League Two | 46 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 54 | 2 | |
| 2017–18 | League Two | 38 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 2 | ||
| Total | 84 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 97 | 4 | |||
| Peterborough United | 2018–19 | League One | 37 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 45 | 4 | |
| 2019–20 | League One | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 0 | ||
| Total | 50 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 63 | 4 | |||
| Carlisle United | 2020–21 | League Two | 24 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 5 | |
| Gillingham | 2021–22 | League One | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 0 | |
| Morecambe | 2021–22 | League One | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| Rochdale | 2022–23 | League Two | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Career total | 318 | 19 | 23 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 25 | 1 | 376 | 21 | |||
Falkirk