Chris Bennion has described his departure from Dundalk as ‘an end of a chapter’ in his football career, as the Scottish goalkeeper ended his six-year association with the club just last Saturday by signing for Athlone Town, in the process becoming the Midlanders’ new captain. The 29-year-old had been at Oriel Park since January 2004 when Trevor Anderson fought off stiff competition from Longford Town to persuade him to join the Lilywhites, and he went on to make a major contribution which has set his place in the history books as fourth on the club’s all-time goalkeepers’ appearances list.

‘Different chapter’
In total in his six seasons with Dundalk, Bennion lined out 174 times, 157 of which were in the league, leaving him behind only Richie Blackmore (407), Alan O’Neill (327) and Christy Barron (250). However, the Edinburgh native will play for his third League of Ireland club next season, having also previously spent time at Shelbourne, and he admits that he leaves Oriel Park with a heavy heart. “It’s a different chapter in my life, I suppose,” Bennion told dundalkfc.com in an exclusive interview this week. “It will be different. I have been speaking to (Athlone manager) Brendan (Place) for the last few weeks. Obviously, it’s a step back from Dundalk, but, at the end of the day, he’s looking to build a team that’s going to challenge for promotion. He’s speaking to a good few players, so I said I’d give it a crack. It’s a change of scenery. I’m big time disappointed to leave Dundalk, and I’m disappointed how things went, regarding one or two issues.

‘New challenge’
“I’m very disappointed to leave,” he continued. “But, again, I’m looking forward to something different. I have been up at Dundalk for six years now. It will be a new challenge. I’ve had my highs and lows at Dundalk – obviously more highs than lows, which was the important thing. I haven’t spoken to anyone from the club yet. I spoke to Paul Johnston last week, but I haven’t been contacted by the club since the end of the season. I presume Ian Foster will give me a call at some stage, but I think a few players will be tied up with other clubs, unfortunately.” Bennion also revealed that Athlone were one of a number of clubs which came in with offers over the last month. “I spoke to one or two other clubs, there were one or two in the Premier that I spoke to,” he said. “But they were at the early stages. One club didn’t have a manager, and another club were keeping their options open. I had other options, but, at the end of the day, it was probably similar when I moved to Dundalk – they’ve got good fans and a nice stadium, and hopefully it goes well.”

Proud captain
Last July, Bennion lost his place in the starting lineup for the first time in almost two years as transfer-window signing Peter Cherrie forced his way into the team almost immediately. With Cherrie re-signed for next year already, Bennion was aware that his first-team opportunities may be limited in the new season, a factor which he admits played a part in his decision to move to Lissywollen. “I know Peter Cherrie, and I get on very well with him,” he said, “and I’ll be sad not to work with him next season. I didn’t play a lot at the end of the season, so it was a factor. I wanted to get back playing regular football. Last year, I had no complaints, apart from obviously being dropped. But still one of my proudest moments was captaining Dundalk in the Premier Division. I probably achieved all I could have at Dundalk, so maybe it is time for a move. But, again, it’s obviously not an option that I would have wanted to consider. But I suppose that’s football for you.”

Goalkeeper frustration
Something he would have gladly considered, though, was remaining on as no2. “I would have considered it,” he said. “I probably would have started as no2. Peter had a very good season when he came in, and being a goalkeeper, you’re either playing or you’re not, so it can be very frustrating. I probably would have considered it, but I still haven’t been contacted. I presume Ian will contact me at some stage, but the fact that I’ve gone to Athlone and they’ve made me captain down there, and, as I said, playing first-team football – it was a big telling factor. I just wanted to get back enjoying it. I enjoyed the first half of last season when I was playing. Looking at my form, I don’t think I performed to my top level. I don’t know if that was just adjusting myself to the Premier again, but I can’t look back. I have fond memories of Dundalk. At least the fans know and the people of Dundalk know the passion that I had for the club. My biggest achievement was getting promoted with Dundalk and captaining Dundalk in the Premier Division, it was a big moment for me.”

Lilywhites lover
Having spent five of his six seasons with Dundalk in the First Division, Bennion now returns there, but he stated that dropping a division is not a huge concern. “I would have obviously liked to stay in the Premier Division and ideally challenge for league medals,” he said. “But, again, it’s not an ideal world, and there’s a lot of footballers and goalkeepers out there without clubs. You have to be realistic. In the First Division, I don’t think there’s much between all the teams. It is a step back, but hopefully I can take two steps forward. I was in the First Division long enough with Dundalk – longer than I had planned to be – but I don’t mind stepping back. Hopefully, I can do well with Athlone – we’ll see what happens.” Only 29 last August, the 6ft2 ‘keeper has plenty of years left in the game, and he says that he would “love” to return to Oriel Park at some point in the future. “I would love to,” he said. “I love Dundalk, I love the fans, I love being up there – that’s not just because I’m leaving. I would like to come back to Dundalk in some capacity, but you never know what the future holds. Maybe – you never know. Hopefully. At the end of the day, I’m only 29, so at this stage I have to be playing first-team football. That was one of my reasons for leaving. I’m not being big-headed, but I thought I was too good to be a no2.”

Happy memories
Shortly after signing with Dundalk, Bennion saw a change of manager as Jim Gannon replaced Anderson, while he spent most of his second season out with a serious back injury. However, despite an indifferent start, the big Scot says that he achieved what he set out to do with the club and that he will look back on his time as a Lilywhite with great fondness. “(I didn’t think I’d stay so long), not after the first three months anyway!” he joked, recalling the poor start to the 2004 season. “I’m very committed to a contract. Once I sign a contract, I usually see it out. After the first year, I didn’t think I’d last another year, but five years later I was still there, and I think it was good for both parties. Obviously, getting promoted was a great achievement. When I first joined the club, I made a statement saying that ‘I’m here to help Dundalk get promoted’. Again, I didn’t expect it to take five years, but we ended up winning it, which was a big honour. And, as I said, captaining Dundalk meant a lot to me last season when Thomas Heary was injured. They obviously made me vice-captain last season which meant a lot to me, after being at the club so long and because of how much the club meant to me. They’re two things that obviously stick in my head. Then I was on the First Division Team of the Year last year – that’s another highlight. As I said, there have been more highs than lows, thankfully. Hopefully, Dundalk will do well next year and I wish Ian Foster all the best, which I will obviously do, hopefully, if he gives me a call.”

Thanks, Chris!
Everybody at Dundalk Football Club would like to sincerely thank Chris for his huge contribution and commitment to the club over the last six years and we wish him the very best with Athlone next year and in his future career, and we hope to see him back at Oriel Park in the near future. A full profile of Chris and a gallery of photographs from his career at Dundalk can be found at http://dundalkfc.com/1stteam/2009/chrisbennion.asp.