Charlie's boy has done good!
The 29-year-old scored twice for Dagenham & Redbridge as they swept Southend aside in a 2-0 win at Victoria Road on Saturday.
Paul told to the Echo after the game that his old man was not well pleased:
"Being honest, it wasn't really a nice feeling scoring against the team I support. I've taken a earful from my dad as well because he's a massive Southend supporter, but you have to remain professional and I'm paid to do a job so that's what I did out there."
His first goal came just after half-time with a smart finish and in the 66th minute Paul was left unmarked from a free-kick and headed home.
The Benson boy was playing park football four years ago with White Ensign but did have a trail with the Shrimpers, I remember it well. He now accepts the chance to play for the town of his birth has probably passed him by.
That didn't stop Gills boss Mark Stimson putting in a offer for one of League Two's most consistant goalscorers yet Daggers manager John Still allowed no hesitation in turning it down. (One rumour is that Still would have accepted around 150k but Stimson offered £25,000!)
Paul continued: "To be playing against teams like Southend, even if it is just a friendly, is brilliant and is something I always dreamed of. I will be at Dagenham for the forseeable future and wouldn't want to go to Southend at the back end of my career so I don't think it will ever happen now."
The Benson Files
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul Benson | |
| Date of birth | October 12, 1979 (1979-10-12) | |
| Place of birth | Southend, England | |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | |
| Playing position | Striker | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | Dagenham & Redbridge | |
| Number | 14 | |
| Youth career | ||
| 1997 | Southend United | |
| Senior career1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 2003-2005 2005- | White Ensign Dagenham & Redbridge | ? (?) 127 (53) |
| National team | ||
| 2007 | England C | 1 (1) |
| ||
(Player info supplied by Wikipedia, for the full article go here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Benson)