Background
Bent was born at Irlams o" th" Height, near Salford, Lancashire in September 1932.
Bent was born at Irlams o" th" Height, near Salford, Lancashire in September 1932.
He was one of the eight Manchester United players who lost their lives in the Munich air disaster. He joined United as an apprentice on leaving school in the summer of 1948. After several seasons playing in the reserve and youth sides, he became a professional in 1951 and over the decade made 12 league appearances as full-back cover for Roger Byrne on the left and Bill Foulkes on the right.
He made his first senior appearance in the 1954-1955 season.
He did not play any first-team games during the 1957-1958 season, having been on the sidelines for several months with a broken foot, and only travelled to Belgrade as cover for Roger Byrne – who had not been expected to play in the match due to injury, but still did. He died in the Munich air disaster on 6 February 1958 and was buried in Saint John"s Churchyard in Bolton Road (A666), Pendlebury (just over the Salford/Swinton & Pendlebury boundary at Irlams o" th" Height).
His widow Marion contributed to a 1998 Independent Television documentary, Munich: End of a Dream, which marked the 40th anniversary of the tragedy.