Ben Swallow

DOB: 20th October 1989

Position: Winger

Season of first appearance: 2016/17

Season of last appearance: 2016/17

Full Appearances: 3

Substitute: 0

Goals: 0

Also played for:

Bristol Rovers, Taunton Town, Bridgwater Town, Chippenham Town, Mangotsfield United, Bath City, York City, Newport County, Bromley, Dartford, Havant & Waterlooville, Bognor Regis Town, Weston-super-Mare, Redditch United

Player Profile:

Left-winger Ben played as a youngster for Cardiff City for seven years before being released and went on to spend two years with South Gloucestershire and Stroud College, playing for the college side and Bristol Rovers' under-18 team.

After finishing his studies, he signed his first professional contract with Rovers during summer 2008. He joined Southern League Division One South & West side Taunton Town on loan in September 2008. He also had loans at other Southern League sides Bridgwater Town, Chippenham Town and Mangotsfield United during the 2008-09 season.

Ben made his first-team debut for Rovers on 11.8.09 when he came on as a sub in a 2-1 win in a League Cup first round tie at home to Aldershot Town. In August 2011, Ben joined Conference Premier side Bath City on a three-month loan.

On 4.12.11, Ben was sent off just six minutes after coming on as sub for Rovers in an FA Cup tie against AFC Totton. Despite Rovers winning the match 6-1, his actions drew criticism from manager Paul Buckle. Later that month, he was told he could leave the club on a free transfer and his contract was cancelled by mutual consent in January 2012.

Ben then signed for York City on a contract until the end of the 2011-12 season but was released by York in April because of an internal issue reported as his lack of punctuality at training sessions.

In August 2012, Ben signed for Conference Premier club Newport County on an initial one-month contract which was subsequently extended. He was part of the Newport team that reached the Conference Premier play-offs in the 2012-13 season, in which he made 23 appearances and scored twice. However, he was not in the squad as Newport won the play-off final versus Wrexham at Wembley Stadium. Newport released Ben in May 2013.

He was selected for the Wales semi-professional team versus Turkey on 16.10.12 at Port Talbot.

Ben joined Conference South team Bromley in September 2013. He left the club in January 2014, having made 15 appearances and scored one goal. He then signed for Dartford but was released at the end of the 2013-14 season. In July 2014, he signed for Havant & Waterlooville.

In January 2017, he was signed by Margate manager Nikki Bull on a 28-day loan from Havant. Bull told Kent Online: “I had a call from Ben's agent asking me for the number of a Conference manager so I jumped in on it and said we'd take him.”

Ben’s Margate debut was in a 2-0 defeat at Bath City on 28.1.17. He made two further appearances before returning to Havant.

He spent 2017-18 at Bognor Regis Town of National League South and 2018-19 at Weston-super-Mare. Ben joined Southern League Premier Division Central side Redditch United in October 2020.