Biography
Striker Ben Burgess joined the Tigers in March 2003 with a point to prove, dropping down to the fourth tier to further his career. He immediately made an impact on Peter Taylor’s Tigers with a hattrick against hapless Kidderminster, and showed himself capable of scoring goals, dominating aerially but also exhibiting the classic ‘great touch for a big man’. His first full season was a success as he struck up a fecund partnership with Danny Allsopp, goals that propelled the Tigers into the top 2. But late in the season he was clattered by Huddersfield goalkeeper Paul Rachubka, a challenge that damaged “Big Ben”‘s knee to the extent that he needed 18 months to recover. When he returned to the first team in earnest City were in the Championship and while Burgess did score a handful more goals, his form was diminished and his role was as a depth squad player rather than a starter. After restoring his fitness and spending a full season on the sidelines, Burgess left the Tigers in August 2006. While Ben only gave City a single full season, he was absolutely pivotal to City’s League Two promotion and is fondly remembered by the Tiger Nation.
Burgess was born in Buxton and played for several North West clubs at junior level before joining Blackburn Rovers at 16. He had successful loan spells in Australia and West London, scoring 15+ goals in both seasons, but he was unable to break into the first team scene at Ewood Park and moved to Stockport in 2002. Nine months later the Tigers snapped him up for a £100,000 fee.
Burgess joined Blackpool in August 2006 and over four seasons he returned to a first team regular role, making 140 appearances, many from the bench, and scoring 30 goals. His career ended in 2012 after two years at Notts County and a planned two year contract at Tranmere that was curtailed after two months due to injury. After retiring he retrained as as a school teacher and also did local radio punditry work.
Qualified for both England and Ireland, Burgess appeared for the Republic at both under-18 and under-21 levels while at Blackburn.
Details
Nationality: Ireland
Date/Place of Birth: 9 November 1981, Buxton
Hull City First Game: 5 April 2003, Wrexham H (League Division 3), 21 years, 147 days old
Hull City Final Game: 26 August 2006, Coventry City H (Championship), 24 years, 290 days old
Clubs
Blackburn Rovers (1998-2002), Northern Spirit (2000-2001, loan), Brentford (2002-2002, loan), Stockport County (2002-2003), Oldham Athletic (2003, loan), Hull City (2003-2006), Blackpool (2006-2010), Notts County (2010-2012), Cheltenham Town (2012, loan), Tranmere Rovers (2012)
Hull City Record
Career: 73 apps, 25 goals
Ben Burgess| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002/03 | 7 (0) | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2003/04 | 44 (0) | 18 | 1 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 2004/05 | 0 (2) | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2005/06 | 3 (11) | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2006/07 | 0 (3) | 0 | - | - | 1 (0) | 1 | - | - | - | - |