Benson George Image 1 Stalybridge Celtic 1922

Description

Garstang, Lancashire born outside left George Benson began his senior football career with Lancashire Combination club Accrington Stanley in 1913 and he remained with them until after the First World War, when he signed for First Division Blackburn Rovers in February 1920. However he found opportunities limited at Ewood Park and didn’t manage to break into their first eleven, joining newly elected Third Division (North) club Stalybridge Celtic in August 1921, making his Football League debut in their inaugural League fixture, a 6-0 thrashing of Chesterfield, the same month.

A regular over the next two seasons, Benson scored 3 goals in 73 appearances for The Celts, however the club resigned its League status after two seasons, as it was felt that it could not attract enough support to justify a League side in spite of the fact that average attendance of 5,480 in 1922 was almost 2,000 more than neighbouring Rochdale, who played in the same Division.

Benson joined Third Division (South) club Queen’s Park Rangers in June 1923 but lost his place in January 1924, moving to Second Division Port Vale at the start of February after 17 matches for Rangers on a one month trial. But his appearance that month in a 2-0 home defeat to Bristol City proved his only one for The Valiants, and he joined non league Chorley, where he played out the rest of his career.