RIP Albert Bennett

[SwindonCanary 457]

Sadly died at 72 years old, As a school kid I copied him and wore white boots, this was in the day when everyone wore black !http://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/ex_norwich_city_star_albert_bennett_dies_aged_72_1_4824888

[Bill 1,788]

If I remember right his name was painted on the back of the Barclay... unofficially.

[TIL 1010 5,246]

RIP Albert and pleased to say i met him a few times after his playing days when he ran The Elm Tavern and was a taxi driver. He had however been in poor health in recent times.Back in 1970 i wrote to Kenneth Wolstenholme at the BBC stating that Albert Bennett wore those famous white boots before Alan Ball who he had mentioned on MOTD and i received a reply which i have right in front of me now dated 4th November 1970 on headed paper saying that Alan Ball and Wyn Davies were the first players to be signed up by the French manufacturer Patrick to wear those famous white boots. Kenneth signed the letter himself.

[ricardo 8,034]

Yes, sad news indeed, Albert was a classy player but his knees were shot by the time Lol Morgan bought him in 1969. He was one of Morgans last buy''s and there was a rumour at the time that Albert was his nephew.Somewhere in my minds eye I have a picture of him heading a goal at the River End, can''t remember who against though. At that time we were virtually in the same position in the second tier as we are now. Little did we know that Ron Saunders was just around the corner and promotion to the top league for the first time ever.Happy days, R.I.P. Albert.

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,220]

Sad to here about the passing of a Norwich City legend, my thoughts are with his family and friends......

[City 2nd 193]

Great club man, privileged to have watched him play for city. RIP.

[Lessingham Canary 108]

Never saw him, but very sad to hear of his passing. RIP

[OldRobert 38]

I too had the privilege to see him play for City.  Great header of the ball if I remember correctly.  RIP Albert.

[Van wink 2,994]

Didn''t know him but always sad when a Canary passes on.

[FenwayFrank 2,717]

He was a rep for a company selling catering and bakery equipment and ingredients, he would come into the bakery I was working at quite regularly. Always had a story and was a nice bloke, sad to hear.

[Crafty Canary 547]

Sad news for all City fans of a certain age. The player shown behind him in the home page picture was another player who the fans didn''t rate so much early on but went on to appreciate what a fine player he was - Terry Anderson. If memory serves me right he was found dead in a ditch by. The Acle Straight.

[Duncan Edwards 2,424]

Met and chatted with him a few times, really nice bloke. Sad news.

[TIL 1010 5,246]

[quote user="Crafty Canary"]Sad news for all City fans of a certain age. The player shown behind him in the home page picture was another player who the fans didn''t rate so much early on but went on to appreciate what a fine player he was - Terry Anderson. If memory serves me right he was found dead in a ditch by. The Acle Straight.[/quote]I thought Terry Anderson was found on Yarmouth beach having gone missing on a training run. Never proved whether it was an accidental death or suicide.

[daly 551]

Sad to hear poor old Albert remember him from my days in Knox Road when he was a warder, always ready to have a word about his days as a NCFC player.

RIP Albert remember when he spoke to John Stonehouse the MP who did a Reggie Perrin and faked his death in Miami and spent a few weeks with us before he was moved to Blundestone Prison as he was ill or so he said.

On the ball city ALBERT £25 a week sleep well NAISMITH

[......and Smith must score. 1,596]

RIP Albert.You needed b*lls to wear white boots back in the 60''s.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

Watched him play for us back in the 60s. One of my greatest memories of him at that time was a game I didn''t see. Us youngsters were at Carrow Road watching the reserves as the news filtered through of a goal fest at Portsmouth. We won the game 4-1 and Albert scored a hat-trick. Couldn''t wait to get hold of the newspaper version of this site and they didn''t disappoint with one of  their great headlines "Bennett Makes It Gay Trip For The Canaries". Earlier that day Gay Trip had won the Grand National. That was in the day when you could watch The Flintstones having a gay old time as family viewing on a Saturday tea time. At the end of that season Albert had a good run, scored a few goals and we were all excited that he would recapture his best form the next season. But injury had taken it''s toll. In truth we never saw the best of him but those white boots and the hat-trick are great memories.

Years later I was enjoying a family holiday in Turkey. Every afternoon there''d be a competitive game of water polo in the pool. One of the most competitive players was a guy called Neil. He came over to me after one of these games and commented about me being a Norwich fan. The tattoo and the towel gave that away! Anyway he told me his dad used to play for Norwich. His dad was Albert Bennett. I could see it when he told me. During that holiday Neil, a pretty decent footballer himself, told me some great stories about his dad. One i remember was when he was at an evening with Norman Hunter and he asked Norman if he remembered his dad Albert. The reply was "too fookin'' quick for me lad"! And he was back then before injury struck. You had to be a bit good to get away with wearing white boots when everyone else wore black.

A few weeks after that holiday Neil brought his dad to Bayer Club and we had a great time talking about the days he played here. The connection with Lol Morgan went back to when they played together at Rotherham. Albert told me that Lol Morgan asked him to come down to Norwich to save his job. He came but couldn''t save it. You can understand Lol Morgan''s thinking though. 83 goals in 121 games for Rotherham was a heck of a strike rate and I bet Newcastle were just one of a string of clubs after his services. Newcastle was always Albert''s team though and I remember watching a Monday night Sky TV game featuring his beloved ''toon in his company just a few years ago.

RIP Albert and if you''re looking in Neil heartfelt condolences but great memories of your Dad.

[Bill 1,788]

[quote user="......and Smith must score."]You needed b*lls to wear white boots back in the 60''s.[/quote]and feet

[Guest]

I think the boots overshadowed his ability. He was a fine volleyer of the ball and could turn well for a relatively big man.

I was delighted when we bought him from Newcastle. He had been an England U23 from recollection.

Of course the River End gave him stick which was a shame.

[OldRobert 38]

Great memory Nutty, thank you.[:D]

[Barclay seats 4849 the 3rd 0]

Watched him as a kid ,,, we hero worshipped him ,, I don''t remember it because of his skill ,, just his boots ! RIP Albert

[Hucks6 186]

Had the pleasure of watching him play very underated player rip Albert

[SwindonCanary 457]

[quote user="......and Smith must score."]RIP Albert.You needed b*lls to wear white boots back in the 60''s.[/quote]Thanks for that coz'' as I said, I copied him as a school boy.

[jim blair 0]

Ricardo, just a thought I seem to have it in my mind that it was Ken Mallender who was rumoured to be related to Lol Morgon.

I could easily be wrong and you correct though

[ricardo 8,034]

[quote user="jim blair"]Ricardo, just a thought I seem to have it in my mind that it was Ken Mallender who was rumoured to be related to Lol Morgon.

I could easily be wrong and you correct though[/quote]You could well be right Jim. It was just something that triggered a half forgotten memory from over 40 years ago.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

Ken Mallender was Lol Morgan''s cousin. It seemed to me Lol signed players he knew. Albert from Rotherham and Bryan Conlon from Millwall but Conlon must have been with Morgan at Darlington. We didnt see the best of Conlon either. I seem to remember he broke his leg? Anyway I referred to him as "a big old lump" but Albert Bennett couldn''t speak highly enough of him. I think they could have been a great partnership if it had worked out.

I think Lol Morgan is still alive. Would surely be well into his eighties now.

[Rock The Boat 1,332]

Thanks for those fine memories, Nutty and others.

It''s a shame that name , Lol Morgan, doesn''t really work nowadays, lol...

[Guest]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]Ken Mallender was Lol Morgan''s cousin. It seemed to me Lol signed players he knew. Albert from Rotherham and Bryan Conlon from Millwall but Conlon must have been with Morgan at Darlington. We didnt see the best of Conlon either. I seem to remember he broke his leg? Anyway I referred to him as "a big old lump" but Albert Bennett couldn''t speak highly enough of him. I think they could have been a great partnership if it had worked out.

I think Lol Morgan is still alive. Would surely be well into his eighties now.[/quote]

Wasn''t John Manning around at that time?

[OldRobert 38]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]

I think Lol Morgan is still alive. Would surely be well into his eighties now.[/quote]According to Wiki, Nutty he''s still with us.  Born 5 May 1931, now aged 85.[:)]

[ricardo 8,034]

He was a promising young manager at the time but despite spending the money he could never quite get a consistent winning side together. It was the Joe Mullett, Colin Sullivan, Geoff Butler and Gerry Mannion era.

We flatterd to deceive during the late 60''s and when Morgan was sacked he seemed to drift out of the game.

[lappinitup 629]

Gutted to hear this. Albert was not only a good footballer, he was a real character. His one appearance for the England U23''s was in a side that included Norman Hunter, Alan ball and Martin Chivers and you don''t get selected to play in that company unless you have something about you. Although never prolific while he was here, I remember him as a good old fashioned centre forward who wasn''t afraid to go in where it hurts. On a business level Albert would always help you out if he could and socially, he was always good company. A bright light has sadly gone out.Condolences to Marion and the family.