6'2" 12st.4 lb.
b. Hammersmith 19 May 1978
 

Debut 25 November 2000 (22y 190d) Final Game 17 November 2001 (23y 182d)
First Goal 17 December 2000 Final Goal 29 April 2001
CAREER: St Augustine's;St Paul's Sc (Sunbury);Sunbury Celtic;Brentford Jul'95 (app Jul'94){56+14-8];Crystal Palace Jan'98 (£150,000)[13+15-5];Port Vale Jan'99(£375,000)[17+6-1];Sheffield United Oct'99 (£300,000)[49-20];Blackburn Rovers Nov'00 (£2,500,000);Ipswich Town Nov'01 (£2,800,000)[51+10-21]; Leicester City (loan) Aug’03[28+5-9];Everton Jun'04 (£450,000)[38+17-7];Charlton Athletic Jan’06 (£4,500,000)[32+14-4];Wigan Athletic Aug’07 (loan)[25+6-7];Birmingham City Jul’08 (£1,000,000)[16+7-3];Middesbrough Oct’09 (loan) [3+4];QPR Feb’10 (loan)[2+1];Wolverhampton Wanderers Aug’10 (loan)[0+3];Sheffield United Jan’11-Jun’11 (loan)[9+4];Mitra Kukar (Indonesia) Nov’11-Apr’12;Wick Sep'17.
SQUAD NUMBER  17 Nov’00.
 

FL/PL  22 + 15 apps    8 gls   -7 wdn                                    16 ns
FAC      5  +   1 apps    3 gls   -4 wdn                                      1 ns
FLC       0  +   1 app                                                                   1 ns
Total  27 + 17 apps   11 gls  -11wdn  +455m -252m        18 ns (2 gls as sub)
Sent off  1
Strike rate 239 mins
LC    1 app    -1 wdn   -6m
 

During his schooldays Bent represented England in the 100 metres and was also selected for the England Catholic Schools' football team. Taken on as an apprentice at Brentford, who spotted him playing junior football at Sunbury, his career meandered through Crystal Palace and Port Vale, at every point never fully achieving his potential. It took a move to Sheffield United to change his future because at Bramall Lane he was at last able to ally his physical tools to an effective game. Fast, mobile, strong in the air he became a much more potent scoring threat and caught the eye of Graeme Souness who required a more aggressive leader of the line. In the promotion season of 2000/2001 Bent played his part with vital goals but it was obvious that Souness had doubts about whether he could make the Premiership grade and the following season he was largely sidelined until Ipswich agreed to pay the asking price and involve him in their battle against relegation. Ironically although this fight was unsuccessful, Bent proved that he could cope with the Premiership and score goals. He remained in the Premiership signing for Everton where he earned respect playing in an improved side where he was the lone striker. A huge transfer fee took him to Charlton but brought him little personal reward because the club was relegated the following season. In fact he made more headlines because of his relationship with ex Miss England, Danielle Lloyd, and actress Gemma Atkinson, than he did on the playing field. His life appeared to spiral downwards and he was twice charged with possession of cocaine and had to be tasered  by police who he had called to his house. In 2019 he was declared bankrupt, a consequence of investing in tax avoidance schemes which were subsequently found to be ineffective.