Ben Purkiss

Ben Purkiss

Purkiss after playing for York City in the 2009 FA Trophy Final
Personal information
Full name Benjamin John Purkiss[1]
Date of birth (1984-04-01) 1 April 1984[2]
Place of birth Sheffield, England
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[2]
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current team
 Port Vale
Number 2
Youth career
0000–2003 Sheffield United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003 Sheffield United 0 (0)
2003–2007 Gainsborough Trinity 113 (1)
2007 → York City (loan) 8 (0)
2007–2010 York City 112 (2)
2010–2012 Oxford United 23 (0)
2011 → Darlington (loan) 12 (0)
2012 Hereford United 15 (0)
2012–2015 Walsall 73 (0)
2015– Port Vale 51 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 00:00, 16 October 2016 (UTC).


Benjamin John "Ben" Purkiss (born 1 April 1984) is an English professional footballer plays as a defender for League One club Port Vale; he is also the club's joint-captain.

Having failed to break into the Sheffield United first team, he joined Gainsborough Trinity in 2003. He spent four years at the club before winning a move to York City in 2007. He played for York in the 2009 FA Trophy Final and 2010 Conference Premier play-off Final, both of which ended in defeat. He signed with Oxford United in May 2010, and after one season with the club was loaned out to Darlington, before he was allowed to join Hereford United in January 2012. He joined Walsall in August 2012, and spent three seasons with the club, appearing on the losing side in the 2015 Football League Trophy Final. He joined Port Vale in June 2015.

Club career

Sheffield United

Born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire,[2] Purkiss progressed through the Sheffield United youth system and was included in the first team for the 2003–04 season.[3]

Gainsborough Trinity

He was released by United in 2003 and joined Northern Premier League Premier Division team Gainsborough Trinity,[4] choosing to pursue a career in semi-professional football while studying for a degree in French and Law at the University of Sheffield.[5] He made his debut for Gainsborough in a 2–0 defeat to Stalybridge Celtic on 16 August.[6] He played in a 7–1 defeat to Second Division team Brentford in the FA Cup first round on 8 November.[7] Purkiss was targeted by Third Division team Scunthorpe United and was handed a trial at the club in December 2003.[8] He finished the season with 34 appearances for Gainsborough and signed a new one-year contract on 5 May 2004.[9][10] He scored his first goal in a 2–1 defeat to Alfreton Town on 17 August.[11] He completed the 2004–05 season with 37 appearances 1 one goal.[12] His 2005–06 season was restricted to 15 appearances due to his studies in France.[5][13] He started in a 3–1 defeat to League Two team Barnet in the FA Cup first round on 11 November 2006.[14]

York City

Purkiss joined Conference National team York City on loan until the end of the 2006–07 season on 22 March 2007 in time for their play-off push.[4] Purkiss had been considering a move to the club for some time and eventually agreed a deal that included a loan period and a four-figure sum for Gainsborough despite there being only five weeks remaining on his contract.[15] Prior to signing, he had made 35 appearances for Gainsborough that season.[16] Once at York Purkiss went straight into the first team, making his debut as a substitute in York's 1–1 draw with Exeter City.[17] He was offered a permanent contract with York at the end of the season after making eight appearances on loan.[18][19] He finished the 2007–08 season with 46 appearances for York.[20]

Purkiss playing for York City in 2008

He played in the 2009 FA Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium on 9 May 2009, which York lost 2–0 to Stevenage Borough.[21] He finished the 2008–09 season with 47 appearances and two goals for York and was offered a new contract by the club.[22][23] He delayed signing as he wanted to see if the club would retain their key players and he eventually signed a new one-year contract on 8 June.[24][25] He meanwhile continued his studies, and graduated from the College of Law in 2009, and represented England at the World Student Games at the 2009 Summer Universiade in Serbia.[26]

He started in the 2010 Conference Premier play-off Final at Wembley on 16 May 2010, which was lost 3–1 to Oxford United.[27] He finished the 2009–10 season with 47 appearances and one goal for York and was offered a new contract by the club,[28][29] which he rejected.[30]

Oxford United

He signed for Oxford on a two-year contract on 21 May following their promotion to League Two.[31] He made his debut in a 0–0 draw with Wycombe Wanderers as an 11th-minute substitute on 21 August and his first start came in a 1–0 defeat at West Ham United of the Premier League in the League Cup on 24 August.[32][33] He was made available for loan by Oxford in March 2011, and told he could leave the club permanently in the summer.[34] He eventually signed for Conference Premier side Darlington on one-month loan on 5 August,[35] and after making seven appearances for the side the loan was extended for a further two months in September.[36] He returned to Oxford in November following the expiry of his loan at Darlington.[37]

Hereford United

Purkiss left Oxford on 24 January 2012 after being released from his contract and subsequently signed for League Two rivals Hereford United.[38] He made 15 appearances for the club before leaving Edgar Street in the summer after Hereford were relegated out of the Football League.

Walsall

Purkiss signed for League One club Walsall on a one-year contract, on 6 August 2012 after a successful trial; he rejoined his former Hereford boss Richard O'Kelly, who had just been appointed assistant manager at Walsall.[39] He was dropped from the first team in the first half of the 2013–14 season in favour of Malvind Benning and then James Chambers.[40] He signed a one-year contract extension in May 2014.[41] He missed the start of the 2014–15 season with an ankle injury, but returned to first team action with good energy after working hard to maintain his fitness levels.[42] He made a third losing appearance at Wembley Stadium on 22 March 2015, as Walsall lost 2–0 to Bristol City in the final of the Football League Trophy.[43] Despite Purkiss showing good form during many of his 39 appearances throughout the campaign he was one of four players released by manager Dean Smith in May 2015.[44][45]

"I thought I had probably done my time there. I felt like I went there as an attacking full back and almost was forced to convert into a defender. I feel like I walked off some games towards the back end of the season and people said I was playing well, but I didn't feel like I was contributing. For whatever reason I felt it didn't fit. The irony is they now do attack from full back. I reflect on it and think I did that all the time in my first season. In the second season I didn't play so much because he said he preferred a defensive option. We had a lot of conversations about the role of the full back. I used to think you could get forward every time and Dean was of the opposing view where you looked to really pick and choose."
— Purkiss speaking in December 2015, reflecting on his time at Walsall.[46]

Port Vale

Purkiss signed for League One side Port Vale on a two-year contract on 24 June 2015.[47] Manager Rob Page signed him as a replacement for departing right-back Freddie Veseli to provide competition to Adam Yates.[48] He began the 2015–16 season as the club's first choice right-back, combining well with winger Byron Moore, and impressed in the role to the extent that Yates was sent out on loan.[49] Page praised Purkiss for his performances early in the season, and said his signing allowed the club to play a more patient, passing game.[50] He was named the Football League Paper's team of the day for his performance in a 1–1 draw with Scunthorpe United at Vale Park on 12 December.[51] He was again named in the Football League Paper's team of the day after playing at right-wing-back in a 2–0 win over Gillingham on 16 April.[52]

New manager Bruno Ribeiro appointed Purkiss as joint-captain, along with Jak Alnwick and Anthony Grant, in July 2016.[53] He played 12 of the club's first 15 league games of the 2016–17 season, though was twice unexpectedly dropped from the matchday squad entirely despite not being injured on either occasion.[54] Chairman Norman Smurthwaite confirmed that there had been an issue between Purkiss and Ribeiro.[55] However Purkiss was unable to return to the first team due to a shoulder injury.[56]

International career

Purkiss was named in the England C team, who represent England at non-League level, in February 2009, for a friendly game against the Malta under-21 team.[57] However, he was forced to pull out of the team due to a stomach muscle injury.[58] He was named on standby in May for an International Challenge Trophy game against the Belgium under-21 team.[59]

He represented Great Britain at the 2009 Summer World Student Games,[60] playing for them in the Bronze Medal match against Japan.[61] Purkiss has also represented the England national futsal team.[62]

Style of play

Purkiss plays as a right back and speaking in 2010 Oxford manager Chris Wilder described him as "an athletic footballer who likes to get forward and join in".[63]

Career statistics

Purkiss playing for Oxford United in 2010
As of match played 15 October 2016
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Gainsborough Trinity 2003–04[9] NPL Premier Division 32020—00340
2004–05[12] Conference North 37100—00371
2005–06[13] Conference North 15000—00150
2006–07[16] Conference North 29040—2[lower-alpha 1]0350
Total 113160—201211
York City (loan) 2006–07[19] Conference National 80——0080
York City 2007–08[20] Conference Premier 37000—9[lower-alpha 2]0460
2008–09[22] Conference Premier 39120—6[lower-alpha 1]1472
2009–10[28] Conference Premier 36130—8[lower-alpha 3]0471
Total 120250—2311483
Oxford United 2010–11[64] League Two 23010101[lower-alpha 4]0260
Darlington (loan) 2011–12[2] Conference Premier 12000——120
Hereford United 2011–12[65] League Two 150———150
Walsall 2012–13[66] League One 270102000300
2013–14[67] League One 140200000160
2014–15[68] League One 32020005[lower-alpha 4]0390
Total 730502050850
Port Vale 2015–16[69] League One 39020202[lower-alpha 4]0450
2016–17[70] League One 12000102[lower-alpha 5]0150
Total 510203040600
Career total 4073190603514674
  1. 1 2 Appearances in FA Trophy
  2. ↑ Seven appearances in FA Trophy, two in Conference League Cup
  3. ↑ Five appearances in FA Trophy, three in Conference Premier play-offs
  4. 1 2 3 Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
  5. ↑ Appearances in EFL Trophy

References

  1. ↑ "Ben Purkiss". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "B. Purkiss". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  3. ↑ "Sheffield United". FootballSquads. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  4. 1 2 Flett, Dave (23 March 2007). "City snap up Bay striker Bell and a couple of full-backs". The Press. York. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  5. 1 2 "Trinity fly Purkiss in". Non-League Daily. 10 September 2005. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  6. ↑ "Stalybridge Celtic 2–0 Gainsborough". SoccerFactsUK. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  7. ↑ "Brentford 7–1 Gainsborough". BBC Sport. 8 November 2003. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  8. ↑ "Trinity players in demand". Non-League Daily. 11 December 2003. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  9. 1 2 "Player Details: Season 2003–2004". SoccerFactsUK. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
    "Season 2003/2004:". Sportbox.tv. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011.
  10. ↑ "Archived News and Information 2 to 8 May 2004". Altrincham F.C. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  11. ↑ "Gainsborough 1–2 Alfreton Town". SoccerFactsUK. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  12. 1 2 "Player Details: Season 2004–2005: Ben Purkiss". SoccerFactsUK. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  13. 1 2 "Player Details: Season 2005–2006: Ben Purkiss". SoccerFactsUK. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  14. ↑ "Gainsborough 1–3 Barnet". BBC Sport. 11 November 2006. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  15. ↑ "Defender completes York transfer switch". Lincolnshire Echo. Lincoln. 24 March 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  16. 1 2 Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2007). Non-League Club Directory 2008. Kingsbridge: Tony Williams Publications. pp. 210–211. ISBN 978-1-869833-57-2.
  17. ↑ "Exeter 1–1 York". BBC Sport. 24 March 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  18. ↑ "York boss releases eight players". BBC Sport. 16 May 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  19. 1 2 Batters, David (2008). York City: The Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. pp. 408–409. ISBN 978-1-85983-633-0.
  20. 1 2 Batters. York City: The Complete Record. pp. 410–411, 420–421.
  21. ↑ "Stevenage 2–0 York". BBC Sport. 9 May 2009. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  22. 1 2 Williams, Tony; Wright, James, eds. (2009). Non-League Club Directory 2010. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 162–163. ISBN 978-1-869833-66-4.
  23. ↑ "York City release seven players". BBC Sport. 12 May 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  24. ↑ "York City can't keep losing their best players says out-of-contract right-back Ben Purkiss". The Press. York. 12 May 2009. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  25. ↑ "Purkiss signs new York contract". BBC Sport. 8 June 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  26. ↑ Flett, Dave (29 June 2009). "York City full-back Ben Purkiss relishes World Student Games test". The Press. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  27. ↑ Marshall, Steve (16 May 2010). "Oxford United 3–1 York City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  28. 1 2 Williams, Tony; Wright, James, eds. (2010). Non-League Club Directory 2011. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 160–161. ISBN 978-1-869833-68-8.
  29. ↑ "York manager Martin Foyle signs up play-off starters". BBC Sport. 18 May 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  30. ↑ Flett, Dave (19 May 2010). "Martin Foyle releases seven players as Ben Purkiss turns down York City deal". The Press. York. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  31. ↑ "Oxford United snap up Ben Purkiss and Alfie Potter". BBC Sport. 21 May 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  32. ↑ "Wycombe 0–0 Oxford Utd". BBC Sport. 21 August 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  33. ↑ "West Ham 1–0 Oxford Utd". BBC Sport. 24 August 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  34. ↑ "Barnet sign Oxford United striker Jack Midson on loan". BBC Sport. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  35. ↑ "Two players out on loan". Oxford United F.C. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  36. ↑ "Darlington extend loan of Oxford United's Ben Purkiss". BBC Sport. 9 September 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  37. ↑ Stoddart, Craig (9 November 2011). "Campbell exits Quakers, with more to follow". The Northern Echo. Darlington. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
  38. ↑ "Purkiss leaves the U's". Oxford United F.C. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  39. ↑ "Walsall sign Ben Purkiss and Nicky Featherstone". BBC Sport. 6 August 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  40. ↑ "Walsall: Ben Purkiss aims to win back regular Saddlers place". BBC Sport. 10 December 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  41. ↑ "Walsall: Ben Purkiss signs one-year contract extension". BBC Sport. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  42. ↑ "Ethical Ben Purkiss is the 'Sheriff' of Walsall". Express & Star. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  43. ↑ Chapman, Caroline (22 March 2015). "Bristol City 2 - 0 Walsall". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  44. ↑ "Walsall FC: No need to re-lay the foundations". Express & Star. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  45. ↑ "Ben Purkiss among four released by Walsall". Express and Star. 5 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  46. ↑ Baggaley, Mike (18 December 2015). "Ben Purkiss says he can be more attacking at Vale than Walsall". The Sentinel. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  47. ↑ "Port Vale: Anthony Grant and Ben Purkiss sign for League One club". BBC Sport. 24 June 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  48. ↑ Baggaley, Mike (24 June 2015). "Valiants sign ex-Walsall right back Ben Purkiss". The Sentinel. Stoke-on-Trent. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  49. ↑ Smith, Pete (4 September 2015). "Anthony Grant is a Rolls Royce-Griffith ... why did Crewe let him go?". The Sentinel. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  50. ↑ "Rob Page says defender Ben Purkiss is crucial to new style". The Sentinel. 5 November 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  51. ↑ Baggaley, Mike (15 December 2015). "Ajay Leitch-Smith and Ben Purkiss named in Football League Paper team of the day". The Sentinel. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  52. ↑ Baggaley, Mike (18 April 2016). "Port Vale: Ben Purkiss named in team of the week after superb performance". The Sentinel. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  53. ↑ Baggaley, Mike (30 July 2016). "Port Vale: Bruno Ribeiro names three captains". The Sentinel. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  54. ↑ Baggaley, Mike (19 October 2016). "Port Vale: Bruno Ribeiro backed his judgment over Ben Purkiss". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  55. ↑ Baggaley, Mike (31 October 2016). "Recall Purkiss and help Grant: Phil Sproson's Port Vale plan". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  56. ↑ Baggaley, Mike (27 November 2016). "Shrewsbury 0, Port Vale 0 COMMENT: Huge squad not enough". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  57. ↑ "McMahon handed England C call-up". BBC Sport. 3 February 2009. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  58. ↑ "Boyes called to England C squad". BBC Sport. 12 February 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  59. ↑ "York pair on England C stand-by". BBC Sport. 5 May 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  60. ↑ Flett, Dave (29 June 2009). "York City full-back Ben Purkiss relishes World Student Games test". The Press. York. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  61. ↑ "Match report" (PDF). 2009 Summer Universiade. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  62. ↑ Flett, Dave (10 February 2009). "Injury-hit York City full-back Ben Purkiss desperate to keep his England 'C' dream alive". The Press. York. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  63. ↑ Murray, Jon (21 May 2010). "York's Purkiss switches to Oxford". Oxford Times. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  64. ↑ "Games played by Ben Purkiss in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  65. ↑ "Games played by Ben Purkiss in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  66. ↑ "Games played by Ben Purkiss in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  67. ↑ "Games played by Ben Purkiss in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  68. ↑ "Games played by Ben Purkiss in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  69. ↑ "Games played by Ben Purkiss in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  70. ↑ "Games played by Ben Purkiss in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 November 2016.

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