Paul Benson

Paul Andrew Benson (born 12 October 1979) is an English semi-professional footballer and coach who plays as a striker for club Bedford Town. Career Dagenham & Redbridge Born in Southend, Essex, Benson was on the books of Southend United as a youth player. He was signed by Dagenham & Redbridge manager John Still on 1 July 2005 after Still saw him play for White Ensign of the Essex Olympian League, where he scored 96 goals in 59 league matches (107 goals in 65 matches in all competitions) in just two seasons with the club. Benson's first season with Dagenham was frustrating as he was not a regular first-team player, scoring only one Conference National goal, and was out for three months with a broken leg. However, the 2006–07 season saw a complete reversal, as he earned a spot in Dagenham's first-team and finished the season as both the team and Conference National top scorer with 28 goals, leading the club's successful campaign for promotion to League Two. The following year, Dagenham's first in the Football League, Benson scored nine goals, though was injured for half the season. The 2008–09 season saw Benson end in the top five goal scorers in League Two and come second in the player of the season poll for Dagenham. At the end of the 2009–10 season, Benson scored a goal at Wembley Stadium as Dagenham defeated Rotherham United in the play-off final to clinch a place in League One for the 2010–11 season.