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Matt Bentley (footballer)

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Matt Bentley
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-05-23) 23 May 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth London, England
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Richmond Kickers
Number 9
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2018 West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats 54 (25)
2019 Missouri State Bears 20 (15)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2019 GPS Portland Phoenix 16 (8)
2020–2021 Basildon United 0 (0)
2021 Hornchurch 8 (2)
2021 Lionsbridge 16 (9)
2021 Dover Athletic 7 (0)
2021 Leatherhead 6 (4)
2022– Richmond Kickers 54 (7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 October 2023

Matthew Bentley (born 23 May 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Richmond Kickers in USL League One. Bentley played college soccer for Missouri State University.

Career

Amateur and college

Born in Greater London, Bentley went to Trinity Catholic High School, Woodford Green near Woodford Green during his teenage years. In 2016, Bentley headed to the United States, through the U.S Sports Scholarships organization, which helps English footballers attend an American post-secondary institution to earn a degree and play college soccer.[1]

Bentley would move to the United States to play college soccer for the West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats for his freshman through junior seasons. In his time at West Virginia Wesleyan, Bentley made 54 appearances, scoring 25 goals.[2]

Ahead of his senior season, Bentley transferred from West Virginia Wesleyan to Missouri State University. During the 2019 NCAA Division I men's soccer season, Bentley helped Missouri State achieve a program-best 18–1–1 record, including their first ever top-10 ranking from United Soccer Coaches. Bentley finished with 15 goals in 20 appearances for the Bears. His performance earned him a First-Team All-American honor from United Soccer Coaches, for being one of the top college soccer players in the United States.[3] Bentley became the first footballer from Missouri State University to earn the honor.

Professional

On 13 January 2020 Bentley was selected by Major League Soccer club, Minnesota United FC, in the fourth round with the 88th overall pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft,[4] however, after being with the club during pre-season for a month, he was released by United on 23 February 2020.

Following the release from Minnesota United, Bentley returned to his native England where on 21 August 2020, he signed with Basildon United of the Isthmian League, the seventh division of English football.[5] Bentley never played a competitive match for them, due to COVID-19, and subsequently left the club.[6] On 25 February 2021, Bentley transferred to fellow Isthmian League side, Hornchurch, where he played with the club until the conclusion of the 2020–21 Isthmian League.[6]

Following the conclusion of the Isthmian League season, Bentley returned to the United States for the summer and joined Lionsbridge FC of USL League Two, the fourth division of American soccer, for the 2021 season. With Lionsbridge, Bentley made 16 appearances, scoring nine goals, and providing three assists.[7] Following the conclusion of the USL League Two season, Bentley returned to his native England to play for Dover Athletic of the National League, where he was announced as a signing on 22 September 2021.[8] With Dover, Bentley made 7 total appearances.[9]

On 26 November 2021, Bentley joined Leatherhead of the Isthmian League.[10]

Ahead of the 2022 USL League One season, Bentley, returned to the United States again, and signed a professional contract with the Richmond Kickers on 16 December 2021.[11] On 2 April 2022, Bentley made his professional debut for the Kickers against FC Tucson, coming on in the 68th minute for Dakota Barnathan. In the 81st minute of the match, Bentley scored his first professional goal, en route to a 4–0 victory.[12]

Honours

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Hall of Fame –". U.S Sports Scholarships. 13 July 2022.
  2. ^ "Men's Soccer All Time Leading Scorers". WVWC Bobcats. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  3. ^ a b "NCAA Division I Men's All-America Team Announced". 12 December 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  4. ^ Bergstrom, Brian (13 January 2020). "Former Wesleyan soccer star drafted by MLS team Minnesota United". My Buckhannon. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  5. ^ Townsend, Ian (8 November 2020). "Four Bees". isthmian.co.uk. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Matt Bentley signs". hornchurchfc.com. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Individual Player Stats - Lionsbridge FC". USL League Two. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  8. ^ "New Striker Arrives at Crabble". Dover Athletic. 22 September 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Games played by Matthew Bentley in 2021/2022". Soccerbase.com. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  10. ^ Keogh, Simon (26 November 2021). "New Singings". Leatherhead F.C. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  11. ^ "Matt Bentley Joins the Richmond Forward Line". Richmond Kickers. 16 December 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  12. ^ "Gameday Report: Nil Vinyals Stars in Kickers' Dominant Victory over FC Tucson". USL League One. 2 April 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
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