Mickey Bennett

Michael Richard Bennett (born 27 August 1969) is an English former professional footballer who played as a winger. During his career, he made over 150 appearances in the Football League.[2] Since his retirement from playing, Bennett has become involved with helping footballers dealing with depression and is currently the head of player welfare at the Professional Footballers' Association.[3]

Mickey Bennett
Personal information
Full name Michael Richard Bennett[1]
Date of birth (1969-07-27) 27 July 1969
Place of birth Camberwell, London, England
Position(s) Winger
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1987–1990 Charlton Athletic 35 (2)
1990–1992 Wimbledon 18 (2)
1992–1994 Brentford 46 (4)
1994–1995 Charlton Athletic 24 (1)
1995–1996 Millwall 2 (0)
1996–1997 Cardiff City 14 (1)
1997 Cambridge City 10 (6)
1997–1998 Leyton Orient 2 (0)
1998–1999 Brighton & Hove Albion 38 (0)
Canvey Island
Total 189 (16)
National team
England U19
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Bennett had represented England at youth level, including being included in an England under-20 tour of Brazil, but his career was disrupted by a serious knee injury sustained in a match against Queens Park Rangers in 1991 while playing for Charlton Athletic. He was originally told that he would be out for six weeks but was kept out of the game for nine months when it was revealed he had ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and crushed the cartilage in his knee. Bennett has admitted that, although he returned to league football, he never recovered from the injury, largely due to the mental stress it caused and retired from football at the age of 29.[4]

Bennett set up an organization called Unique Sports Counselling to help footballers deal with mental health issues.[5]

References
  1. "Mickey Bennett". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  2. "Mickey Bennett". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database. Neil Brown. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  3. "Michael Bennett". Professional Footballers' Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  4. "Depression in football - special report: PFA want to stop another Clarke Carlisle or Gary Speed situation". The Telegraph. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  5. Fabio Zucchelli (24 May 2013). "Helping footballers open up about their mental health". The Sport in Mind. Archived from the original on 3 April 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  • Hugman, Barry (2005). The PFA Premier and Football League Players' Records 1946-2005. Queen Anne Press.
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