Ted Fenton

Edward Benjamin Ambrose Fenton (7 November 1914 – 12 July 1992) was an English football player and manager. A wing-half, he spent almost his entire playing career at West Ham United and went on to manage the club between 1950 and 1961.

Playing career

West Ham United A prolific goal scorer as a schoolboy Fenton joined West Ham schoolboys eleven and won an England schoolboys eleven cap against Scotland, at Ibrox Park, in 1929. He made his West Ham debut in 1932 and played regularly until the outbreak of World War II. He joined the Army and served as a PT instructor in North Africa and Burma. Mainly as a wing half, but also as a utility player, Fenton made 179 appearances and scored 19 goals in first class games for the Hammers. He also made 204 appearances and scored 44 goals during World War II fixtures.

Managerial career

Colchester United At the end of the war Fenton went on to become player-manager at Southern League team Colchester United.

West Ham United He returned to Upton Park in 1948 to become assistant manager to Charlie Paynter before becoming manager of West Ham in 1950. The 1957–58 and 1958–59 seasons saw The Hammers achieve two goalscoring records; 1957–58 101 league goals He was succeeded as manager in 1961 by Ron Greenwood.

Seven of the West Ham 1964 FA Cup winning team had either been signed by Ted Fenton from other clubs, or had worked their way up from the Academy during his time as manager.

Southend United

Following his exit from West Ham, Fenton had four undistinguished years as manager of Southend United before his dismissal in May 1965. He never returned to football following his sacking by Southend.

Outside football His brother Benny Fenton was also a West Ham United player and later managed Millwall.

On 4 July 1992, he was injured in a car crash in Leicestershire, and died in hospital seven days later from his injuries.

Managerial statistics TeamFromToRecordColchester United15 April 194631 May 1948