Source: Team_Talk
Former Latics boss Benson mourned
Former Wigan, Manchester City, Burnley and Bournemouth manager John Benson has died at the age of 67 following a short illness.[LNB] The Scotsman played at right-back for the Cherries in the early 1970s after spells at City and Torquay and after a two-year stint at Norwich, he returned to Dean Court as player-boss in 1975.[LNB]He spent three years at the helm, and later became assistant to City boss John Bond at Maine Road, briefly taking the reins himself in 1983.[LNB]A year later, the same situation arose at Burnley when he replaced Bond but left the Clarets in May 1985.[LNB]After spells working abroad, Benson teamed up with John Deehan at Norwich and then became his assistant at Wigan in 1995.[LNB]Benson was handed the manager's role when Latics moved to the JJB Stadium in June 1999 and took the club to the last-ever Division Two play-off final at the old Wembley Stadium, where they lost 3-2 in extra-time in Gillingham.[LNB]However, he stepped down at the end of that season and later worked in various roles at Wigan, Birmingham and Sunderland.
