Ben is in his ninth season at Sporting Hackney, and his first in the role of player-manager.

He joined Hackney in the summer of 1999 as a tricky left and right winger, and starred alongside Rainbow Nelson in 2002 as one half of the famous 'single-wingers' to help record Hackney's best ever league 1 finish, coming 2nd to British Airways.

His balletic playing style, commanding presence and calm under pressure made a retreat to centre midfield and defence inevitable, and when he does appear in the side these days, he is most commonly found organising and dictating the play of the back four

Tactical genius and an impressive footballing brain made a move into management equally inevitable, and he took up the role of PM in the summer of 2008. With his commitment to attractive, passing football and gentlemanly conduct on and off the field, the immediate future of Sporting Hackney is in good hands.