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David Michael Bentley (born 27 August 1984 in Peterborough) is an English footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspur F.C.. He can play in several positions across the midfield, but he has been utilised most effectively as a winger. Bentley started his career with Arsenal, and despite being earmarked as one for the future, saw his playing opportunities limited by a strong senior squad. He spent two seasons on loan with Norwich City and Blackburn, and sealed a permanent transfer to Rovers in January 2006. Bentley produced strong performances for his new club, and soon featured regularly for the England national under-21 football team. In May 2007 he was named for the first time in his career as part of the England senior team due to play a Euro 2008 qualifier, and made his full international debut by coming on as a substitute against Israel on 8 September 2007.

Club career

Arsenal and Norwich City

Bentley started his youth career at Wormley Football Club in Hertfordshire, before moving to Arsenal at the age of 13 as a forward, occasionally playing in the hole. However, as seasons went by he found himself being used primarily in midfield, usually as a wide midfielder. He was only 16 when Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger asked him to join in training with the senior squad. By January 2003, he was handed his senior début, coming on as a substitute for Kolo Touré in the 77th minute of a 2–0 FA Cup Third Round win over Oxford United. Bentley's first goal for Arsenal, an audacious lob in a 4–1 FA Cup win over Middlesbrough in January 2004, earned comparisons with Arsenal veteran Dennis Bergkamp.

However, Bentley spent the whole of the next league season on loan to Norwich City, playing 26 league games and scoring two goals. His season at Carrow Road was interrupted by an injury sustained in January. He returned to the side in April 2005, coming off the bench against Manchester United and playing a key role in Norwich's 2–0 win. Despite a late run of form, the Canaries were relegated from the Premier League on the last day of the season. Bentley returned to Arsenal in the summer of 2005, but submitted a transfer request, citing his desire for first team football. In subsequent interviews, he also revealed that he was having "personal problems" at that point in his career and had lost his enjoyment for football — problems which he overcame later in his Blackburn Rovers career. He later admitted he had been addicted to gambling in the early stages of his career, reaching a peak of placing 100 bets a day. He got over his problems in 2005, with the help of his girlfriend.

Blackburn Rovers

Desiring a permanent move, Bentley was linked with a number of clubs including Wolves, before being dispatched on a further season's loan to Blackburn Rovers in August 2005; in January 2006, Blackburn announced they had signed Bentley on a permanent basis from Arsenal. In his first match after permanently signing for Blackburn, he scored his first senior hat trick in a 4–3 victory against Manchester United, becoming the first player in the history of the Premiership to score three goals in one game against United. Bentley went on to feature regularly for Blackburn in the 2005–06 season, and helped the club finish sixth in league standings and qualify for the 2006-07 UEFA Cup.

The 2006–07 season saw Bentley become more of a regular goalscorer for Rovers, including some stunning strikes in the Premiership. In Europe, a 25 yard volley against Salzburg in the UEFA Cup helped secure Rovers' passage into the group stage, where he also scored a last minute winner against Wisla Krakow. Bentley's club performances attracted much transfer speculation. However, on 27 February2007, despite being linked to a move to Manchester United, he agreed to a new contract that would keep him with Blackburn until 2011. Commenting on the new deal, Rovers manager Mark Hughes described Bentley as "a great talent with a big future" while Chairman John Williams added that he "is widely regarded as one of the best young footballers in the country." Bentley ended the season with seven goals and 13 assists for Blackburn, the latter statistic also highlighting his creative importance to the team. The young midfielder was later voted by Rovers fans as the club's Player of the Year.

Bentley recorded similar statistics in the following campaign, scoring eight goals and providing 13 assists. Blackburn finished seventh in the Premier League, but did not qualify for European competition. Bentley's consistent performances for his club however ensured that he played in a series of post-season friendlies for England. In June 2008, Bentley stated his desire to leave Blackburn Rovers in search of European football.

On June 18th 2008 Blackburn Rovers gave Aston Villa permission to negotiate personal terms with Bentley after agreeing a fee of £19 million.

International career

Bentley has played for the England under-15 and under-16 teams, captained the England under-18 team and played for the England national under-21 football team. He recorded eight caps and four goals with the under-21 team, and was the first Englishman to score at the new Wembley Stadium in the game against the Italy Under-21 squad on 24 March, 2007.

In May 2007, following an impressive 2006–07 season for Blackburn, Bentley was called up for the England B international at Turf Moor for the match against Albania. After naming him as a starter, England manager Steve McClaren said Bentley had the potential to become England's "new David Beckham". In that match, Bentley provided the cross for Stewart Downing's first goal and was involved in the buildup to Downing's second in the 3–1 victory for England. He received the Man of the Match award for his performance. The next day, he was named in McClaren's 26-man full England squad for the friendly match against Brazil and the Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia.

In June 2007, Bentley was called up to the England Under-21 squad for the European Under-21 Championships in Holland. However, he pulled out of the squad citing fatigue, and England Under-21 manager Stuart Pearce questioned the midfielder's commitment to the national squad. This withdrawal led to Bentley being excluded in the senior England squad for the friendly against Germany, but he was selected for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Russia. He made his senior début when he came on as a substitute for Shaun Wright-Phillips against Israel, but was jeered by some of the fans due to his previous refusal to play for the Under-21 squad.

Bentley started for England for the first time in the friendly against Switzerland on 6 February 2008.

Player profile

When he was at Arsenal, Bentley was slated to play in central midfield. While playing for Blackburn however, Bentley is deployed more frequently on the right side of midfield due to his ability to cross the ball. He is also one of the first choice free kick and corner kick takers for the Lancashire club.

Club career statistics

(correct as of 27 May 2008)

Notes

1. ^ David Bentley profile, soccernet.espn.go.com, accessed 27 May 2007.
2. ^ Player Profle, premierleague.com, accessed 9 June 2007.
3. Bernstein, Joe, "Bentley ready for road test", thefa.com, 1 April 2004, accessed 27 May 2007.
4. ^ David Bentley history, soccernet.espn.go.com, accessed 27 May 2007.
5. Lacey, David, "Ferguson struck dumb by Tweety Pies with talons", football.guardian.co.uk, 11 April 2005, accessed 27 May 2007.
6. ^ Bentley thanks Rovers for England call-up, soccernet.espn.go.com, 26 May 2007, accessed 27 May 2007.
7. Bentley admits he was placing 100 bets a day, guardian.co.uk, 10 April 2008, accessed 10 April 2008.
8. ^ Player Biography, globesports.com, accessed 27 May 2007.
9. Premiership Table - 2005/06, soccernet.espn.go.com, accessed 27 May 2007.
10. Blackburn 2-1 Wigan, soccernet.espn.go.com, 1 October 2006, accessed 27 May 2007.
11. READING v BLACKBURN ROVERS, 1-2 Sat 16 Dec 2006, premierleague.com, 16 December 2006, accessed 27 May 2007.
12. Parkes, Ian, "Rovers in top gear thanks to Bentley's Rolls-Royce performance", football.guardian.co.uk, 29 September 2006, accessed 27 May 2007.
13. Gaunt, Ken, "Racism claims mar Blackburn's hard-won victory", football.guardian.co.uk, 20 October 2006, accessed 27 May 2007.
14. Bentley pledges long-term future to Rovers, rovers.premiumtv.co.uk, 27 February 2007, accessed 27 May 2007.
15. ^ Bentley signs new Blackburn deal, news.bbc.co.uk, 27 February 2007, accessed 27 May 2007.
16. Bents takes top billing at awards dinner, rovers.premiumtv.co.uk, accessed 28 May 2007.
17. England U21s Team, thefa.com, accessed 27 May 2007.
18. Mawhinney, Stuart, "Thriller at Wembley", thefa.com, 24 March 2007, accessed 27 May 2007.
19. Neild, Andy, "McClaren: Bentley can be our Beckham", lancashiretelegraph.co.uk, 25 May 2007, accessed 27 May 2007.
20. ^ Bentley stars on England duty, rovers.premiumtv.co.uk, accessed 28 May 2007.
21. Bentley responds to U21 criticism, news.bbc.co.uk, 9 June 2007, accessed 14 June 2007.
22. Bentley defends England pull-out, news.bbc.co.uk, 17 August 2007, accessed 17 August 2007.
23. England debutant Bentley shrugs off boos, soccernet.espn.go.com, 10 September 2007, accessed 12 September 2007.
24. Bentley excels on England duty, rovers.premiumtv.co.uk, 6 February 2008, accessed 7 February 2008.
25. Includes FA Cup, League Cup and FA Community Shield.

External links

• Statistics at ESPN.com
• David Bentley official web site at Icons.com
• Photos and stats at sporting-heroes.net
• David Bentley at Soccerbase
• Career information at ex-canaries.co.uk

Tottenham Hotspur F.C. squad}}

• 1984 births
• Arsenal F.C. players
• Blackburn Rovers F.C. players
• England international footballers
• England under-21 international footballers
• English footballers
• Football (soccer) strikers
• Living people
• Norwich City F.C. players
• Premier League players