Mexborough & Swinton Times, April 11, 1908
Walter Bennett Killed.
Awful Affair at Denaby.
Tragic End of a Brilliant Career.
A Famous International.
At midday on Monday, the district was shocked by news of the violent death which had overtaken Walter Bennett, whose fame but a few years ago reached throughout the length and breadth of the land, and whose name was a household word in the mouths of all who took any sort of interest in Association football.
His neck was broken, and his head crushed like an eggshell by a huge slab which fell upon him while he was engaged with another man named Ben Gethen in preparing a road for a new engine house, which is to be-built near the Denaby Main pit-bottom. This was considered to be one of the safest pasts of the mine, for it was well constructed, well-lighted, and was near the main road which ran straight into the pit-bottom 100 yards away. This accident happened about ten o’clock, and about midday the body was conveyed to the home of the dead man at 10, Cliff street, Mexbro’, where a grief-stricken widow and a family of young children, awaited it.
Mexboro’s Consternation.
The awful accident cast a gloom upon the town, of which Walter Bennett was, a native, and with which he and other members of the family had identified themselves in the athletic departments of life. He was the most distinguished of all the Bennet, and the record of his fine doings in first-class football is engraved in the memories of this essentially football-loving community. No matter where one went on M:onday evening—in the street or in places where, men meet together—poor “Cocky ” was the subject of conversation. It was a mournful topic, but, everybody took a grim pleasure in returning to it and dwelling on the excellences of the dead man and on his departed brilliance. Everybody agreed that it was, a miserable ending to a remarkable football career. “To be killed in a coal-pit!” was the cruellest cut of all.
The Young Goal-Getter.
No less than four of the Bennetts have been actively engaged in football, but of these, only “Cocky” scaled the ladder right to the top. “Micky “and “Tip” were fine fellows, but they hadn’t the touch of Waiter. He was the genius of the family. Mexboro’ football owes more than it can say to the Bennetts, for although Walter Bennett was playing in. Sheffield before the Town carried off the championship of the Midland League, in- ’97, it was he and the other stalwarts of that day who brought Mexboro’ along at such a rapid rate, who stimulated interest on the part of the public. He did some startling things even in his young days and the old Gala field, where he used to flash down the wing—or up the wing, it didn’t very much matter—like a morsel of greased lightning. He soon became known.
He was at this time following the avocation of a glass hand and, I believe, at the early age of 16, he received a substantial offer from Derby County. There was no wage limit at ‘this time, and a substantial offer then was substantial. However, Walter’s father, old William Bennett, insisted that the lad should remain at his work and got a “trade in his’ fingers “—a very sensible course to adopt. The offers were coming in thick and fast. Newton Heath, a club which was then a power in the land, and which, under the name of Manchester United, is still a power in the land, wanted young Bennett, but they didn’t want to give too much for him, and they refused to pay £100 for the player who was practically the making of the team, and during an extraordinary season, he was snapped up by the Sheffield United Committee for £40.
During the season of 1895-6 this phenomenon of a player scored no less than 82 goals, 19 of which came in two matches. And the season was not then done. The fact that he was a winger, and not an inside man, enhances the merit of this remarkable achievement, and it is no wonder that the Mexboro’ Town supporters idolised “Cocky.”
Honours Thick Upon Him.
At Bramall Lane he climbed from ‘success to success, and crowds of people hastened from this district Saturday after Saturday simply to see him. His very first season with United saw the club carry off tale League championship, and saw the Mexboro’ lad carry off the honours of several matches.
He came on by leaps and bounds, and securing a partner of the stamp of Common, now playing at Middlesboro’, the two speedily formed themselves into a wing which was reputed one of the finest in existence and certainly the strongest in League football at that time: It was, in the season which saw Sheffield United carry off the championship, if I remember aright, that Bennett scored a ‘goal which, from the spectacular point of view, will probably never be equalled. United were running well for the championship, but they had Aston Villa to fear, and a visit from Aston Villa placed them in the highly exciting position of choosing between now or never. At a critical stage of the game Bennett came along, beat three men single-handed in midfield, and shot from long range. The ball rose, rose, rose, and meeting George, the goalkeeper, burst its way through his, outstretched hands, and found the net, a perfect pandemonium ensuing.
That was probably his greatest success, although he was twice capped for his country in 1901 Against Wales, at Newcastle, he was unable to do anything at all. For that matter, neither was anyone else; the ground and conditions generally were in such a shocking state. But at the Crystal Palace, against Scotland, he and the far famed Bloomer fought a great uphill fight with one of the strongest Scottish teams which has ever taken the field against England, with the result that the match was drawn.
But before this he was engaged in 1899 at the Cup final between United and Derby County, and his goal coming along at the right time, paved the way for a win for United. Again he was at the Crystal Palace when one of the finest fights for the Cup was witnessed by a record crowd. ‘United were defeated that year, but in the following year they came along and recovered the Cup from the South by beating Southampton. The trophy has never been South since. In the original match he played a fine game and got a sprained ankle in the bargain, being kept out of the re-played match, which saw United successful, a recruit named Barnes having taken his place. Although honours have clustered thick upon Bennett, he did his best work for his club, who got their £40 back time and time again.’
A Man of Moods.
He was loyal to his club; there is no doubt of that, and his splendid service did not reap the reward they deserved, his benefit match with the Corinthians on December 29th 1904, after he had been superseded by Lang, resulting in a failure, partly owing weather, possibly, to the unattractiveness of the fixture.
It has been said that he was a man of moods. The indictment, for indictment is it, cannot be denied. Everybody knows he was not a paragon, and that his temper was not invariably sweet. But though he was quick to resent a slight or an injustice, beneath all his seeming crustiness there was a heart, which his family would tell you, was as good as gold. No man delighted more keenly in personal success, or in the success of his club; but he was not invariably well-treated by his colleagues on the football field, and at times was actually starved. Through all his football career, which to the day of his death, went back 15 years, he had a clean record before the Football Association, and before his dub. While at Sheffield he made a few close friendships, though he was a quiet, reserved man. Foulkes, the giant goalkeeper, and Common were his great friends, and they shared with him his grief at the loss of his brother Harry, or “Tip,” as he was popularly-known —who did such splendid work for Mexboro’ and Barnsley at right-half until his career, like that of his brother, was tragically out short.
Coming Home.
Toward the end of the season 1904-5, Bennett was transferred to Bristol City, who were struggling in the Second Division. Here again his arrival had an immediate effect and he helped the City to get into the First League, where they remain today. He had a couple of fairly good seasons with Bristol, where he was under the management of his old colleague, Harry Thickett. But he was never quite satisfied with the conditions under which he was playing and at the beginning of the present season, he startled everybody by coming to Denaby, and alas! To Death. He had offers from other Southern clubs. He was invited to settle down and qualify as a Gloucestershire professional cricketer. But in consideration of his family he ‘preferred to go home. And. so he went home.’
He played some brilliant games for Denaby early in the season, but later he fell off considerably, and at the last his place in the team was that of schoolmaster.
Walter Bennett was proficient in all games of skill. He was pre-eminently a. footballer, but he was also one of the best all-rounders in the Mexboro’ and District Cricket League. He was one of the three men who for the last six or seven seasons have constituted the backbone of Mexboro’ cricket. He was a stubborn bat, though always attractive, and many a bright, breezy game has he played in the Gala field, the scene of some of his football triumphs. He was also a fast and destructive bowler, and was always worth watching on the field. He was also handy with the billiard cue, and had a pretty knack of stringing fifties together. To half the sport-loving people of Mexboro’ he was a sort of Admirable Crichton. One of his closest friends was his cousin, the redoubtable “Iron.” Hague who is seeking fame in another branch of athletes.
Go where you would you could find nothing but consternation depicted on every countenance. Deep down in their hearts, everybody liked “Cocky.” He was unique, so far as this district is concerned and I am afraid South Yorkshire will never look upon his like again.