Trevor Benjamin

Infobox Football biography
playername = Trevor Benjamin


fullname = Trevor Junior Benjamin
nickname = Tricky Trev
height = height|ft=6|in=2
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1979|2|8|df=y
cityofbirth = Kettering
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Northwich Victoria
clubnumber =
position = Striker
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1995–2000
2000–2005
2001–2002
2002
2002
2003
2003–2004
2004
2004–2005
2005
2005
2005–2007
2005
2006
2007
2007
2007–2008
2008
2008–
clubs = Cambridge United
Leicester City
→ Crystal Palace (loan)
→ Norwich City (loan)
→ West Bromwich Albion (loan)
→ Gillingham (loan)
→ Rushden & Diamonds (loan)
→ Brighton & Hove Albion (loan)
→ Northampton Town (loan)
Northampton Town
Coventry City
Peterborough United
→ Watford (loan)
→ Swindon Town (loan)
→ Boston United (loan)
→ Walsall (loan)
Hereford United
Gainsborough Trinity
Northwich Victoria
caps(goals) = 123 0(35)
081 0(11)
006 00(1)
006 00(0)
003 00(1)
004 00(1)
006 00(1)
010 00(5)
004 00(2)
001 00(0)
012 00(1)
047 00(8)
002 00(0)
008 00(2)
003 00(0)
008 00(2)
034 0(10)
003 00(0)
000 00(0)
nationalyears = 2001
2002
nationalteam = England U21
Jamaica
nationalcaps(goals) = 001 00(0)
002 00(0)
pcupdate = 16:30, 4 May 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate =

Trevor Junior Benjamin (born 8 February 1979 in Kettering, England), is a Jamaican international footballer who plays for Northwich Victoria. He plays as a striker or winger. He made more than 341 appearances in the Football League between 1995 and 2007.

Club career

Benjamin grew up in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, supporting Arsenal with Ian Wright as his idol. His first club was Wellingborough Colts where he excelled as a striker, gaining representative honours with Northamptonshire. His potential was recognised and he played a friendly for Kettering Town, with his brother Richard. Trevor played in their youth team then started scoring regularly for the reserves.

He then signed as a trainee for Cambridge United where he made his professional début as a 16-year-old, against Gillingham in a 0–0 draw, during his time there he scored 46 goals in 146 appearances, which included the winning goal as Third Division Cambridge knocked Premier League Sheffield Wednesday out of the Worthington Cup. He signed for Leicester City (where his work rate and goal celebrations saw him become something of a cult figure) for a fee of £1.3 million by manager Peter Taylor. [cite news
date=2000-07-12
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/leicester_city/830118.stm
title=Leicester sign Benjamin
publisher=BBC Sport
accessdate=2007-06-18] He made his debut for Leicester, as a substitute, in a 0–0 draw with Sunderland, on Sunday 1 October 2000. Benjamin holds the record of most appearances made from the bench by any Leicester City player he also holds the record for the most league clubs played for which so far is 16 in total. In January 2005, however, new Leicester manager Craig Levein made the decision to cancel Benjamin's contract. The striker then went on loan at various clubs, including Crystal Palace, [cite news
date=2001-12-19
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/leicester_city/1719061.stm
title=Benjamin in Palace switch
publisher=BBC Sport
accessdate=2007-06-18] Norwich City [cite news
date=2002-02-08
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/n/norwich/1809034.stm
title=Benjamin joins Norwich
publisher=BBC Sport
accessdate=2007-06-18] and West Bromwich Albion.

In November 2003 he was loaned out to Rushden & Diamonds. [cite news
date=2007-11-12
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/r/rushden_and_diamonds/3264523.stm
title= Benjamin joins Rushden
publisher=BBC Sport
accessdate=2007-08-14] He then joined Northampton Town permanently on 19 January 2005, after a few weeks on loan to the club. [cite news
date=2005-01-01
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/n/northampton_town/4139339.stm
title=Cobblers seal move for Benjamin
publisher=BBC Sport
accessdate=2007-06-18] Trevor was later signed up by Coventry manager Micky Adams (under whom he had played at Leicester) until the end of the season.

In the summer of 2006 Benjamin was released again and later signed for Peterborough United on a three year deal, stating his main motivation was to gain first team football. Benjamin has since made loan appearances for Watford, Swindon Town, [cite news
date=2006-01-30
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/swindon_town/4662252.stm
title= Benjamin signs Swindon loan deal
publisher=BBC Sport
accessdate=2007-08-14] Boston United and Walsall.

Benjamin went on to sign for Hereford United on 1 August 2007. [cite news
date=2007-08-08
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/h/hereford_united/6928265.stm
title= Benjamin signs deal with Hereford
publisher=BBC Sport
accessdate=2007-08-14] He made his début for the club in a 0–0 draw against Rotherham United on 11 August, 2007. His first goal followed a week later, from the penalty spot, in a 2–1 win away at Barnet. He continued his impressive form in the first half of the season and became something of a fans favourite at Edgar Street, scoring his share of goals. However he did not start another match for the Bulls after the defeat to Cardiff at the end of January, which coincided with the arrival of Gary Hooper on loan.

On 19 May 2008 Benjamin was released from Hereford United, being told his services will not be needed in the following season. [cite news |date=2008-05-18 |url=http://www.herefordunited.co.uk/article/1801756/Players-leaving-the-Street |title= Benjamin leaves club |publisher=Official Hereford United Website |accessdate=2008-05-18] He joined Blue Square North club Gainsborough Trinity on non-contract terms in August 2008,cite news|url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=51924|title=Benjamin joins Trinity|date=August 15, 2008|publisher=Non League Daily|accessdate=2008-08-15] a week later after joining Gainsborough, the Lincolnshire Echo revealed the player had also been training with Cheltenham Town. Despite this Trevor was released by a 'disappointed' Steve Charles after just three appearances for Gainsborough, with the Blues noting that the Jamaican International had under performed in his games.

Benjamin had trials with Cheltenham Town, Gillingham and Bournemouth at the start of the 2008–09 season, but failed to earn a contract at any of the three clubs. [cite news
date=2008-08-19
url=http://www.cheltenhamtownfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10434~1370427,00.html
title=Reserves start with impressive win
publisher=Cheltenham Town F.C.
accessdate=2008-10-05] [cite news
date=2008-09-10
url=http://www.kentnews.co.uk/kent-news/Benjamin-on-target-for-Gills-reserves-newsinkent16046.aspx?news=sport
title=Benjamin on target for Gills reserves
publisher=kentnews.co.uk
accessdate=2008-10-05] [cite news
date=2008-09-23
url=http://www.sportbox.tv/football/news/story.php?id=271272
title=Cherries to try out Benjamin
publisher=Sportbox.tv
accessdate=2008-10-05] Bournemouth manager Jimmy Quinn said of the player, "He's not what I'm looking for, he's probably past his sell-by date." [cite news
date=2008-09-26
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bournemouth/7637592.stm
title=Benjamin not good enough - Quinn
publisher=BBC Sport
accessdate=2008-10-05] On 10 October 2008, Benjamin signed for Northwich Victoria. [cite news
date=2008-10-10
url=http://www.northwichguardian.co.uk/vics/news/3747701.Benjamin_bolsters_front_line/
title=Benjamin bolsters front line
publisher=Northwich Guardian
accessdate=2008-10-11]

International career

Benjamin was selected for the England under-21s, making his only appearance as a substitute against Mexico at Filbert Street on 24 May 2001. [cite news
date=2001-05-24
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1344736.stm
title=Injury-hit England thrive
publisher=BBC Sport
accessdate=2007-08-19] He made his international début for Jamaica on 20 November 2002 against Nigeria, in Lagos.

Career statistics

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=9124|name=Trevor Benjamin
* [http://www.lcfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Profiles/0,,10274~5765,00.html Trevor Benjamin's Profile] on LCFC.com
* [http://www.premierleague.com/fapl.rac?command=forwardOnly&nextPage=enPlayerProfile&playerId=27012&clubid=29 Trevor Benjamin's Profile] at [http://www.premierleague.com Premierleague.com]
*soccerbase|id=9124|name=Trevor Benjamin
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=7813 Info on Trevor at Sporting-heroes.net]
* [http://www.uptheposh.com/people/287/ Profile] at [http://www.uptheposh.com/ UpThePosh! The Peterborough United Database]
* [http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/benjamin.htm Career information at ex-canaries.co.uk]