Baven Penton

Infobox Football biography
playername = Baven Penton


fullname = Harry Baven Penton
height =
weight =
dateofbirth = 1890
cityofbirth = Boscombe
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath = Not known
cityofdeath =
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currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Centre forward / Goalkeeper
youthyears =
youthclubs = Pokesdown
years =
1911–1912
1912
1912–1913
1913–1914
1914–1928
clubs = Boscombe
Southampton
Boscombe
Southampton
Boscombe
Eastleigh Athletic
caps(goals) =
12 0(3)

01 0(0)


manageryears =
managerclubs =
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Harry Baven Penton (born 1890) was an English professional footballer who played as a centre-forward for Southampton prior to the First World War.

Playing career

Penton was born in Boscombe in early 1890 and was a prolific marksman in his minor league days, scoring 60 in one season with Pokesdown and 26 in another for Boscombe. [cite book | author=Duncan Holley & Gary Chalk | title=The Alphabet of the Saints| publisher= ACL & Polar Publishing | year=1992|pages=p. 270| id=ISBN 0-9514862-3-3] His form attracted him to Southern League Southampton who were suffering from a lack of a suitable centre-forward, as the regular choice, Percy Prince was injured and replacement Sid Kimpton was not scoring regularly.

Penton moved across the New Forest in February 1911 and made his debut at Crystal Palace on 25 February 1911, scoring in his home debut at The Dell in his next match (against Brentford). He retained his place until the end of the season, although he failed to live up to expectations with only three goals from twelve appearances. For the following season, the "Saints" signed Henry Hamilton and Penton only made one appearance. He returned to Boscombe in January 1912 for a fee of £10 and became their first ever professional player on a wage of 30 shillings (£1.50) per week. In September 1912 he returned to The Dell but made only one further appearance.

He once again returned across the New Forest to Boscombe, but in 1914 he joined Eastleigh Athletic where he remained until 1928, playing as goalkeeper rather than centre-forward.

References