Many followers of Torquay United will no doubt be shocked by the recent death of former skipper John Benson.
Born in Arbroath in 1942, John was brought to Plainmoor in 1964 by Eric Webber and became a cornerstone of the United side that enjoyed much success under Webber's predecessor Frank O'Farrell.
Prior to the arrival of O'Farrell, John appeared in the Torquay side that held Tottenham Hotspur to a 3-3 draw in the FA Cup Third Round in the 1964-65 season.
Originally signed as a wing-half, John was converted into a sweeper by O'Farrell and skippered the Gulls to promotion from Division Four in O'Farrell's first full season in charge, the 1965-66 campaign.
He then became a cornerstone of the United side that became an established force in the 'old' Third Division before he joined AFC Bournemouth in 1970, becoming one of a number of Torquay players who were enticed to Dean Court by his former Gulls team-mate John Bond.
After he retired from playing, John managed Bournemouth, Manchester City and Wigan Athletic and also coached at Norwich City and held roles in Dubai and Kuwait. In recent years, he was part of Steve Bruce's backroom staff at Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic and Sunderland.
