Darwen FC surprise fans by signing 32 year old ex-Wolves, Leicester, Blackburn, Millwall, Sheff Wed, Carlisle player Ben Marshall.
Marshall started out as a youth player with Manchester United, before joining Crewe Alexandra in 2003 up until 2009.
That was when he went pro with Stoke City, but struggled to break into the first team and went on loan to four clubs.
In 2012, he made permanent transfer on deadline day to Leicester City, but after only one season with Leicester, he moved to Blackburn Rovers in 2013.
After 3 and a half seasons with Blackburn, he signed for Wolves on the 31st of January 2017.
He went out on loan tO Millwall, before Norwich signed him in 2018, and he returned to Millwall for a second loan spell. His contract with the Canaries was cancelled by mutual consent on the 27th of July 2019.
He has since played for Stoneclough FC in the West Lancashire Division League and this week joined Darwen FC who play in the North West Counties League Division One North, finishing 8th out of 18 clubs with 48 points from 34 games for the 2022/23 season.
🖋️📜 Ben Marshall Signs Up
We are thrilled to announce that Ben Marshall has signed for the Salmoners.
The former Leicester, Blackburn, Wolves and Millwall man becomes our second new signing of the summer. A massive coup and statement of intent by the club.#OneClub #ANewDawn pic.twitter.com/NImj1q1OHk— Darwen FC (@DarwenFC) June 1, 2023
His career:
Youth
1997–2005 – Manchester United
2005–2009 – Crewe Alexandra
Senior
2009–2012 – Stoke City
2009 → Northampton Town (loan) – 18 games (2 goals)
2009 → Cheltenham Town (loan) – 6 games (2 goals)
2010–2011 → Carlisle United (loan) – 62 games (8 goals)
2011–2012 → Sheffield Wednesday (loan) – 22 games (5 goals)
2012–2013 – Leicester City – 61 games (9 goals)
2013–2017 – Blackburn Rovers – 140 games (16 goals)
2017–2018 – Wolverhampton Wanderers – 25 games(2 goals)
2018 → Millwall (loan) – 16 games (3 goals)
2018–2019 – Norwich City – 6 games (0 goals)
2019 → Millwall (loan) – 16 games (1 goal)
2019–2022 – Stoneclough
2023– Darwen
International career
2012 – England U21 – 2 games (0 goals)
Watch his chat with UnderTheCosh from two years ago, as he explains what happened to him…
He said: “From the start of the season at Norwich to when I went to Millwall I didn’t touch a drop i didn’t have a drink, I just didn’t, I just couldn’t be asked i just wanted to just go home and i’d sleep and play on the xBox and sleep
“to be honest with you i think anyone being at Norwich is gunna going to get a better depression, no I knew like obviously I wasn’t right but i didn’t like when I’ve heard of depression in the past I’ve always been like do you know what I mean but the more I got to know about it and the more like I look back on I was at Norwich like it was depression because you just don’t want to do anything you just want to keep yourself to yourself not sort of get in anyone’s way or you know just get to train and come back.
“Listen I know we’ve said like, and probably if anyone listening would probably be like all he did was go out, it wasn’t always that, but I’d say I’d done it more than most footballers.
“I’d never drink, I’d never do anything stupid on a Friday, do you know what I mean I’d never like go out and drink on a Friday, like Thursday was mid limit.
“Even like now even like now like i’ve not played professionally for over a year and at first like you know it’s like a kid in a candy shop you normally being told what time to be in you’re free you know what can you do you’ve not got a job, most you know for the first probably six seven months it was have a great time which I did which I wouldn’t obviously change but now I’ve sort of come around and you know like you know I’ve never been yeah I’m not like say I’ve not had a drink for probably about getting on three or four months and you just realise there’s more to life than it do you know what I mean like going out and getting pissed and causing havoc and I’m settled now do you know what I mean Mrs and my little one I’ve got a routine with her and I just feel like I’ve got a routine what it’s not worth spoiling yeah which I know that if I could if I did start going out and being right you were then it could spoil it yeah so you’ve got to weight up yeah
This is what fans are saying as Darwen surprise fans by signing the ex-Wolves, Leicester, Blackburn, Millwall, Sheff Wed, Carlisle player…
@SWFCTweets1867: What a waste of a talent! Without a doubt one of the best players to have worn our colours in recent years! #Ben10
@damobrfc1875: What a signing!! Hell of a player for Rovers!!
@71scoot: Welcome to the Anchor Ben ⚓ Darwen are massive 🙌🏼🇦🇹🙌🏼 looking forward to promotion & a few more trophies this season 🏆
@C_H_ics78: Just need Craig Conway on the other wing now
@GaztheGoz: A pint of Peroni, that’s quite a hefty signing on fee.
@Susief23: Oh wow fantastic. Loved him when he played for us. He’s a good honest lad
@Bluerovers77934: Great signing, I thought he was a real class act at Ewood, though his skill was absolutely wasted at right back. 🤷
@Roverite1875: Wow! That’s some signing.
@Stephenshaw192: Legend Ben. Good luck, Miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
@chrishutchy7: Great news. Top signing. 👊🏼⚽️
@dilko2010: Wow I didn’t actually recognise him !
@Zottie11: That’s classss 🙌
@JacobHouldswor1: how much pints a game u paying him then
@Miggsi1: Wtf? Haha quality in his day 👌
@gavstravels: He has retired then , signing on fee a pint . Not even any peanuts 😄
@SPJ91: What actually happened to Ben Marshall? That first spell with us he was an absolute baller 😅 #Millwall
@ConorMFC_: Downfall is actually mental!
@The_Lions_Stand: Mad 🤣
@hadyncity: Unreal signing this 🙌
@tomxairey: …how on earth has this happened
@MillsJ29: Some signing that!
@HPackham17: Wtf has happened here 😂😂😂
@Callumatkins94: Fall from grace 😳 #rovers
@roverseas: Oh. My. Dayz! What. A. Signing! #Rovers
@djhelliwell69: Crowds will go up 🔵⚪️👍
@MPHarrison93: Hahahaha tried to mark him once we he was at stoneclough – absolute freak of a footballer at this level.
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