David Bentley

For the Canadian businessman and media entrepreneur, see David Bentley (businessman).

David Bentley

File:David Bentley.JPG
Personal information
Full name	David Michael Bentley
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	Blackburn Rovers
Number	11
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 2007-01-02

David Michael Bentley (born August 27 1984 in Peterborough) is an English football player. He currently plays for Blackburn Rovers.

Arsenal F.C.

Bentley started his career at Arsenal 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 handed his senior debut for Arsenal in January 2003, 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 Carling 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 games and scoring two goals. His season at Carrow Road was interrupted by an injury sustained in January. He finally returned 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 Premiership on the last day of the season. He returned to Arsenal in the summer of 2005, but submitted a transfer request, citing his desire for first team football.

Blackburn Rovers

Desiring a permanent move, Bentley was linked with a number of clubs including Wolverhampton Wanderers, before being dispatched on a further season's loan to Blackburn Rovers, on summer transfer deadline day, August 31 2005. On the winter transfer deadline day, 31 January 2005, Blackburn announced they had signed Bentley on a permanent basis from Arsenal.

In Bentley's first match after permanently signing for Blackburn, he scored his first senior hat trick in a 4-3 victory against Manchester United. This made him the first player in the history of the Premiership to score three goals in one game against United; the previous player to have scored a league hat-trick against United was Dennis Bailey of QPR, in an old First Division match in 1992.

Bentley's three goals against United were his only goals in the league in 2005-06. However, the 2006-07 season has seen him become more of a regular goalscorer for Rovers including some stunning strikes. 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.

On 27 February 2007, Bentley agreed to a new contract that would keep him with Blackburn till 2011.

International career

Bentley is a former captain of the England under-18 team, and is also an England under-21 international, with six caps and three goals.

On 1 February 2007, Bentley was recalled to the England Under 21 squad by new manager Stuart Pearce, for the match against Spain on Tuesday 6 Feburary 2007.

Bentley believes that he should be part of the England first team due to his performances in the 2006/07 season.

Career statistics

(correct as of 28 February, 2007)

Club	Season	League			Cup			Europe			Total
		Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists
Arsenal	2002-03	1	0	-	1	0	-	0	0	0	1	0	-
	2003-04	1	0	-	6	1	-	1	0	-	8	1	-
Norwich City (loan)	2004-05	26	2	4	2	0	-	0	0	0	28	2	4
Blackburn Rovers	2005-06	29	3	1	6	2	-	0	0	0	35	5	1
	2006-07	27	3	6	4	0	0	8	3	2	39	6	8
Career totals											111	14	13

External links

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