Bob Benson

Infobox Football biography
playername = Bob Benson


fullname = Robert William Benson
dateofbirth = 9 February 1883
cityofbirth = Whitehaven, Cumbria
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath = death date and age|1916|2|19|1883|2|9
cityofdeath = Highbury, London
countryofdeath = England
height = height|ft=5|in=10
position = Full back
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1902–1903 1903–1905 1905–1913 1913–1916
clubs = Newcastle United Southampton Sheffield United Arsenal
caps(goals) = 001 0(0) 019 0(0) 273 (20) 052 0(7)
nationalyears = 1913
nationalteam = England
nationalcaps(goals) = 001 0(0)

Robert William Benson (9 February 1883 — 19 February 1916) was an English professional footballer, notable not just for being an England international but also for being among those players who died directly as a result of playing.

Born in Whitehaven, Benson was a full back who started his career with Newcastle United, making just a single appearance for the club on 7 March 1903. [cite web | url=http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufchistory/nufconehitwonders.shtml | title=NUFC Players - One Hit Wonders | work=Newcastle-Online.com ] He went on to play for Southampton of the Southern League for two seasons, before returning to the Football League with Sheffield United in 1905. During his Sheffield United career, he was capped for England once, against Ireland on 15 February 1913, which England lost 2-1, [cite web |url=http://www.englandstats.com/playerreport.php?pid=101 | title=Bob Benson | work=EnglandStats.com ] as well as being part of a Football Association XI that toured South Africa in 1910. [cite web | url=http://www.srcf.ucam.org/~nfm24/football/1901-1910oth.html | title=1901-1910 Matches | work=International Matches Project ] He played 283 matches for Sheffield United in all competitions, scoring 21 goals, all of one of which were penalties.

In November 1913 Benson joined Woolwich Arsenal, soon after they had made their move to Highbury. He made his debut against Bristol City on 29 November 1913, and over two seasons he made 53 appearances for the Gunners, mostly at full-back although he was later moved to centre forward, and eventually scored seven goals for the club as they tried for promotion back into the First Division; Arsenal would eventually win re-election based on their position of fifth in 1914-15 after the end of World War I.

Due to the war, in 1915 first-class football was suspended. Benson quit the game to work at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, munitions factory. He kept in touch with his old club and on 19 February 1916 attended a London Combination match at Highbury against Reading. With his former team mate Joe Shaw unable to make the game, Benson volunteered to take his place, which ultimately had fatal consequences. Having not played a game for nearly a year, Benson was not match-fit. He collapsed on the pitch in the second half and had to be taken off; soon afterwards he died in the Highbury changing rooms, in the arms of team trainer George Hardy.cite web | url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=&article=379040 | title=It Happened at Highbury | work=Arsenal.com ]

It was later determined he had died of a burst blood vessel, from a long-standing medical condition. [cite book | author=Harris, Jeff & Hogg, Tony (ed.) | title=Arsenal Who's Who
publisher=Independent UK Sports | year=1995 | isbn=1-899429-03-4 ] [cite book | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=63AL641DvuUC&pg=PA56&lpg=PA56&dq=%22bob+benson%22+arsenal&source=web&ots=p5gd9gVBiW&sig=EIkXpvEndMET0ETh8KSd6t5vrcM
title=Encyclopedia of British Football | author=Richard William Cox, Dave Russell & Wray Vamplew | page=p. 56 | year=2002 | publisher=Routledge] Benson was buried wearing his Arsenal shirt. Three months later, Arsenal held a testimonial game in his honour, against a Rest of London XI, with the proceeds going to his widow; over 5,000 attended to pay their respects.

References