Benny Fenton

Benjamin (Benny) Fenton was born in West Ham on 10th October 1918. After playing for Colchester Town he joined West Ham United in 1935. Fenton made his debut for the club against Fulham on 9th October. The team that season included included Jim Barrett, Charlie Bicknell, Joe Cockroft, Archie Macaulay, Stan Foxall, Len Goulden, Sam Small, Norman Corbett, John Morton, Ted Fenton, Charlie Walker and Dick Walker.

Fenton only played in three games in the 1937-38 season. The following season he established himself in the first-team at outside-left. In the 1938-39 season he was the club's fourth top-scorer with 9 goals: Stan Foxall (19), Archie Macaulay (18) and Sam Small (11).

Fenton joined Millwall in the Second Division in March 1939. On Friday, 1st September, 1939, Adolf Hitler ordered the invasion of Poland. The football that Saturday went ahead as Neville Chamberlain did not declare war on Germany until Sunday, 3rd September. The government immediately imposed a ban on the assembly of crowds and as a result the Football League competition was brought to an end. Fenton, for example, joined the Essex Regiment and eventually he became a Physical Training instructor in the army.

After the Second World War Fenton rejoined Millwall and by the time he left the club he had scored seven goals in 20 games. Fenton, now playing as a wing-half, signed for First Division Charlton Athletic in January 1947. Over the next seven years he scored 22 goals in 264 games. In February 1955 he joined Colchester United where he finished his playing career in 1957.

Like his brother Ted Fenton, Benny Fenton went into football management. His clubs include Leyton Orient (November 1963 - December 1964), Millwall (May 1966 - October 1974) and Charlton Athletic (January 1977 - June 1982).

Benny Fenton died in Dorset on 29th July 2000.