Ben Burley
English footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Benjamin Burley (2 November 1907 – 25 January 2003)[1] was an English professional footballer who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in the 1930s, including Southampton, Grimsby Town, Norwich City and Darlington.[2] He was later a coach before becoming manager of Chelmsford City in the 1950s.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Benjamin Burley | ||
| Date of birth | 2 November 1907 | ||
| Place of birth | Sheffield, England | ||
| Date of death | 25 January 2003 (aged 95) | ||
| Place of death | Great Yarmouth, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||
| Position | Outside forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Darnall School | |||
| Netherhope Institute | |||
| Woodhouse Mill United | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1931–1933 | Sheffield United | 0 | (0) |
| 1933–1934 | Southampton | 2 | (0) |
| 1934–1935 | Grimsby Town | 22 | (5) |
| 1935–1938 | Norwich City | 35 | (4) |
| 1938–1939 | Darlington | 35 | (7) |
| 1939–1940 | Chelmsford City | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 1951–1954 | Chelmsford City | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Football career
Playing career
Burley was born in Sheffield where he was educated at Darnall School and played football as a youth for Netherhope Institute and Woodhouse Mill United. He also played schoolboy football for the Sheffield and Yorkshire F.A.s.[3]
In November 1931, he joined Sheffield United but never made any first-team appearances before a transfer to the south coast to join Southampton of the Football League Second Division in September 1933. Described as a "stocky and thrustful winger",[3] he was used as cover for Fred Tully and Bill Luckett and his only first-team appearances came at outside-left in the last two matches of the 1933–34 season, both defeats.[4]
In the summer of 1934, he moved to Grimsby Town who had just been promoted to the First Division. Burley remained for a season, scoring five goals in 22 appearances[2] as Grimsby finished fifth in the league, their highest-ever league position.[5]
Burley moved on in the summer of 1935, to return to the Second Division with Norwich City. He made his debut on 7 September 1935[6] and played 35 league matches, scoring four goals,[2][7] over a three-year period, before joining Darlington in May 1938. In his one season at Feethams, Burley rarely missed a match in the Third Division North, scoring seven goals from 35 league appearances.[2]
In July 1939, he dropped out of the Football League to join Chelmsford City, who had joined the Southern League a year earlier. In a season which was truncated because of the Second World War, Chelmsford won the Eastern section and then drew with Lovell's Athletic in the play-offs; both teams were declared joint champions.[8]
During the war, Burley played as a guest for various clubs, including Southend United, Millwall, Brighton & Hove Albion, Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace.[3]
Coaching and management career
After the war, Burley obtained his F.A. coaching badge, before working as a coach in the Netherlands.[3]
In June 1951, he returned to Chelmsford City, initially as a coach,[3] before replacing Billy Walsh as manager in August.[9] In Burley's three seasons in charge at Chelmsford, the club finished in the lower half of the Southern League table[8] and in 1954, Burley was replaced by Frank Grice. In his time as manager, Chelmsford City played 105 matches, of which 30 were won, 21 drawn and 54 lost.[10]
Honours
As a player
Chelmsford City
- Southern League champions: 1939–40