Arsenal have a protracted historical past of launching the careers of younger gamers, with Ashley Cole, Cesc Fabregas, Jack Wilshere and Bukayo Saka having all progressed into the primary group as breakout stars.
In January 2004, Gunners followers welcomed what they thought can be one other prospect for Arsene Wenger’s beginning XI at Highbury, throughout a 4-1 rout of Middlesbrough within the FA Cup fourth spherical.
With the sport wanting pretty comfy for Arsenal, Wenger determined to throw on teenager David Bentley rather than Denis Bergkamp within the 84th minute, with the winger making simply his sixth look for the membership.
Arsenal supporters welcome David Bentley after gorgeous end
He rapidly made his mark on the sport, too, delivering a luxurious chip over Mark Schwarzer within the ultimate minute of the match along with his weaker left foot to make sure Arsenal have been heading into the fifth spherical of the Cup with none late mishaps.
“My first purpose for Arsenal, at Highbury, down the Clock Finish the place I used to coach within the youth group. It was a stunning chip that drew comparisons with Dennis Bergkamp – he was a participant I used to be tipped to possibly emulate on the time,” Bentley tells FourFourTwo.
“It was an incredible purpose, which at all times helps, however that feeling of scoring, at a spot as iconic as Highbury, was like nothing else. Though it was late within the recreation, the followers began singing my identify: ‘We’ve obtained David Bentley!’.
“It felt just like the second I introduced myself as knowledgeable footballer – every part modified from the second that ball landed at the back of Middlesbrough’s internet.”
Mentally, issues might have modified for Bentley, however he nonetheless needed to anticipate extra probabilities within the Arsenal first group. It took till Might that 12 months, almost 5 months after his chip towards Middlesbrough, earlier than Bentley began his first recreation within the Premier League for Arsenal.
Finally, it proved his final for the membership, with a mortgage spell at Norwich the following season main to a different mortgage at Blackburn, which was ultimately made everlasting by Rovers. After 9 appearances in all competitions and one purpose for Arsenal, Bentley departed Highbury as a 21-year-old in 2006.
In his first recreation for Blackburn after having made his mortgage transfer everlasting, Bentley bagged a hat-trick in a 4-3 win towards Manchester United. He earned a transfer to Arsenal’s bitter rivals Tottenham in 2008, the place he spent the following 5 years interspersed with mortgage spells at Birmingham, West Ham, Rostov and Blackburn, earlier than ultimately retiring from skilled soccer aged simply 29 in 2014.
