Ten Years of Ben: A County Great
We don’t get many testimonial games these days. Football has changed and players who stay at one club for ten years are vanishingly rare. This tribute isn’t just a long service award, it’s a recognition of a player who has become a firm favourite throughout the fanbase, even being granted the unofficial title of “Greatest Of All Time” by many.
Ben has been the perfect fit for County in many ways. He was signed by Jim Gannon when the club was at its lowest ebb, languishing in regional football and employing players on a part-time basis. As every TV commentator knows, and never fails to mention, Ben drove lorries during the day and had to fit training and fitness work around his job.
His time here has seen the club become full time again, progress via three promotions to challenge at the top of League 1 and attendances rise from a couple of thousand to regular full houses at a reinvigorated Edgeley Park.
Challenges have come along to threaten his No.1 spot in those ten years, but he’s refused to rest on his laurels and he’s met them head on. Prospective replacements arrived so he had to prove himself again and again to show he was the better ‘keeper, even though his rivals were sometimes ten years his junior.
Ben has also had to adapt to the various styles dictated by the three managers he’s served under at County. He holds Pep Guardiola responsible for the modern fashion of playing the ball out more rather than kicking it forward all the time, which involves taking a little more risk and trusting the players in front of him. This new method required a different mentality and different physical attributes which had to be addressed in the gym.
He cites Peter Schmeichel as the ‘keeper he takes as his inspiration, in particular the Dane’s determination to keep the ball out of the net by any means and with any part of the body necessary. We’ve all seen Ben take a shot flush in the face and one save he made last season will have had every male fan wincing in sympathy. The ball didn’t go in the net, though.
All these qualities; bravery, adaptability and dedication will stand him in good stead in the next phase of his career as a coach. He may have retired as a ‘keeper but it’s good to know that we’ll still see him on the pitch as Head of Goalkeeping.
All of us at the Stockport County Supporters’ Co-operative wish Ben every success in his new role at the club.
To purchase tickets for Ben’s testimonial vs Preston on Sat 1st August visit Ben Hinchliffe Testimonial- Stockport County v Preston North End
John K. Bilsbury.
