Joe Bennett on trial with Championship club as ex-Aston Villa defender set for move
Joe Bennett is currently on trial in the Championship nine years after officially leaving Aston Villa.
The veteran left-back joined the Claret and Blues in August 2012 from Middlesbrough, and went on to feature prominently for the Villans in his debut season.
His performances reaped praise from Paul Lambert at the time, but the 35-year-old quickly found minutes hard to come by in the following campaign.
A series of loan spells followed before Bennett finally left Villa in 2016, and he is now on the lookout for his next venture as he looks to continue in the Championship.
Bennett on trial with Charlton Athletic
Bennett looked set to be a solid player when he made the switch from Middlesbrough, registering two assists and making 25 Premier League appearances as the Lions avoided relegation.
However, the arrivals of Antonio Luna and Ryan Bertrand at Villa Park the following summer, coupled with back and knee injuries, meant that he never regained his spot in the team.
| Season | Appearances | Direct Goal Contributions | Minutes Played |
| 2015/16 | 1 | 1 | 20′ |
| 2013/14 | 7 | – | 423′ |
| 2012/13 | 30 | 4 | 2,267 |
Bennett only had one season in the English top flight after leaving the Villans, and has otherwise plied his trade in the Championship, most recently with Oxford United, before his contract expired in June.
As reported by journalist Richard Cawley (26 July), Bennett is now on trial at Charlton Athletic and featured for The Addicks in their pre-season friendly fixture against Cambridge United.
The match ended in a draw, but the former Villa player got a chance to impress as he came on in the second half as a left wing-back, and will hope that he has done enough to justify a contract with the South London side.
Villa have come very far since Bennett’s departure
When looking back at Bennett’s time at Villa, it’s striking to think how far the West Midlands club have come in just a decade.
From a relegation-threatened side, the Villans have transformed into a UEFA Champions League club with ambitions to establish themselves as consistent Premier League top-four challengers.
They also boast a squad full of internationals and World Cup winners, such as Emiliano Martinez, and are now targeting signings from top-tier sides like Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.
The mood around Villa is not at its highest, as PSR worries are impacting Unai Emery‘s summer plans, but it’s still remarkable what they have achieved relative to where they were just 10 years ago.
Bennett is a reminder of the old times.
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