Marcus Bent - Club Career

Club Career

Bent was born in Hammersmith, London, to parents of Jamaican origin. He attended St Paul's College in Sunbury-on-Thames. He graduated through the Brentford youth ranks, usually playing as a forward. He broke into the first team at Griffin Park in 1995–96 under manager David Webb, helping the "Bees" to a 15th place finish in the Second Division. Bent was almost ever-present in a successful season that saw Brentford reach the play-offs in 1996–97 with a fourth place finish. He played at Wembley in the play-off Final defeat to Crewe Alexandra, and was substituted after 70 minutes for Scott Canham. Bent then scored five goals in 29 games in 1997–98, as the "Bees" struggled in vain to avoid relegation under Eddie May and then his replacement Micky Adams.

Though not a prolific striker for Brentford, his potential was spotted by Crystal Palace manager Steve Coppell, who brought Bent to Selhurst Park for £300,000 in January 1998. The "Eagles" were relegated out of the Premier League in last place in 1997–98, though Bent had shown his ability with five goals in 16 games, including strikes at Stamford Bridge and Anfield. However he remained goalless in 15 appearances in 1998–99, as Palace struggled under new boss Terry Venables. With the club heading for administration, he was sold on to First Division rivals Port Vale for £300,000 in January 1999, as one of long-term manager John Rudge's last purchases.

Rudge was unable to make the most of his new player, as chairman Bill Bell controversially sacked Rudge and hired Brian Horton. Played out of position on the left-wing, Bent went 15 games without a goal for the "Valiants" in 1998–99. He played nine games in 1999–2000, scoring once against Grimsby Town in a 3–1 win at Vale Park. In October 1999, he was sold on to league rivals Sheffield United for £375,000, with Bell eager to cash in on the £75,000 profit.

He became the "Blades" top scorer in 1999–2000 with 15 league goals in 32 appearances, including a hat-trick past West Bromwich Albion in a 6–0 thrashing at Bramall Lane on 19 February. The club had struggled under Adrian Heath, before finding an upturn in results after Neil Warnock stepped into the hot-seat in December. He began the 2000–01 campaign in fine form, hitting a hat-trick past Lincoln City in a 6–1 win in the League Cup. He was then sold on to promotion chasing Blackburn Rovers for £2 million in November 2000; the transfer was seen as good business for both clubs.

He scored his first goal for Rovers against bitter East Lancashire rivals Burnley in a 2–0 win at Turf Moor on 17 December 2000. He went on to hit 11 goals in 34 appearances in 2000–01, justifying Graeme Souness's fee, as the Ewood Park club won promotion back to the Premier League. He made ten goalless appearances in 2001–02, before he was sold on to Ipswich Town for £3 million in November 2001, which was Town's fourth biggest transfer fee behind team-mates Matteo Sereni, Hermann Hreiðarsson, and Finidi George.

"His goalscoring form has proved the £3m fee for Bent from Blackburn is money very well spent. It's no coincidence that Ipswich's change in form has followed him signing for them. His speed, pace and eye for goal have tormented some of the Premiership's best defences." —Bent was named Premier League Player of the Month for January 2002.

Despite Bent scoring nine times in 22 league starts, the "Blues" were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2001–02 season. He stayed at Portman Road for the 2002–03 campaign, hitting 12 goals in 38 games, as the "Tractor Boys" missed out on the play-offs by one place and four points. However Ipswich entered administration, and were forced to sell talent such as Marcus Stewart, Titus Bramble and Darren Ambrose; a relegation battle was only avoided after manager George Burley was replaced by Joe Royle. Ipswich then found another striking talent, Darren Bent (no relation), and Bent joined newly promoted Premier League side Leicester City on loan for the 2003–04 campaign, in a move that reunited him with manager Micky Adams. Bent scored ten goals in 35 games, though the First Division beckoned for the "Foxes", as the Walkers Stadium outfit finished six points behind 17th place Everton.

Unable to afford his £17,000-per-week contract, in June 2004, Ipswich sold Bent to Everton for a fee of £450,000; "Toffees" manager David Moyes said that "he's got athleticism, he's quick, good in the air". He became a regular starter at Goodison Park in the lone centre forward role (supported by Tim Cahill), but only managed seven goals in 2004–05, which were key in securing draws away to Southampton and at home to Aston Villa, as well as decisive goals against Middlesbrough and Manchester City. Despite having helped the club to secure a place in the Champions League, Bent became a more peripheral figure in 2005–06, having lost his first team place to James Beattie.

In January 2006, it was announced that Bent had signed for Charlton Athletic in a deal worth £2.3 million. He scored on his debut as a substitute against Premier League champions Chelsea in a 1–1 draw. Bent hit only two goals in 35 games in 2006–07, 13 fewer than strike partner Darren Bent, who had signed with Charlton from Ipswich. The club had collapsed following the departure of manager Alan Curbishley after his fifteen year reign, and First Division football returned to The Valley despite the best efforts of Iain Dowie, Les Reed and Alan Pardew.

Bent joined Wigan Athletic on "deadline day" (31 August 2007) on a season long loan move, one of nine summer signings by boss Chris Hutchings. However after a poor start to the campaign, Hutchings was replaced by Steve Bruce. Bent scored a hat-trick, his first in the Premier League, against former club Blackburn Rovers in a 5–3 win, on 15 December; Roque Santa Cruz also scored a hat-trick in the game, the first time in the Premier League that two opposing players scored hat-tricks in the same match. Despite only hitting seven goals in 32 games, he still became the "Latics" top scorer in 2007–08. At the end of the season, Wigan manager Steve Bruce chose not to make the deal permanent, feeling Bent was too similar in style to Emile Heskey; Bent subsequently returned to cash-strapped Charlton, where he was placed on the transfer list.

Bent signed a three-year deal for Birmingham City in July 2008 for a fee in excess of £1 million, after rejecting the opportunity to join Cardiff City. He scored three goals from 16 starts and 17 substitute appearances as Alex McLeish got the club promoted to the Premier League with a second place finish in 2008–09. He did not feature at the higher level for the "Blues". Instead, he became Gordon Strachan's first signing for Middlesbrough when he joined on a two-month loan deal on 30 October 2009, later extended to 16 January 2010. He spent the final three months of the 2009–10 season on loan at a second Championship club, Queens Park Rangers, whom he joined in February 2010. Both clubs finished in mid-table, and Bent failed to find the net at either the Riverside Stadium or Loftus Road.

Still out of the first team plans at St Andrew's, he again moved on loan in August 2010, as he joined Mick McCarthy's Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers until 4 January 2011. He made five appearances without scoring, before joining Sheffield United on loan until the end of the 2010–11 season, teaming up with Micky Adams at a third different club. With the Blades in free-fall Bent made ten appearances, mainly from the bench, before returning early to Birmingham in mid-April having failed to score a goal. Birmingham decided against taking up the option of another season, and Bent was released when his contract expired at the end of the 2010–11 season.

Bent signed a one-year contract with Indonesia Super League club Mitra Kukar on 3 November 2011. In doing so he rejected interest from clubs in England, choosing the Far East as he "didn’t want to be based up north". He was released from his contract at the Aji Imbut Stadium on 17 April 2012, with the club in mid-table.