Turton played many famous sides including Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers, Everton, Nottingham Forest, Preston North End and Sheffield Wednesday, and many lesser known local teams such as Westhoughton, Astley Bridge and Darwen F.C.

Records show Turton hosting matches as far back as 1830, though it was not until August 1874 that members voted "that the Rules of the London Football Association be adopted".

However, he was rather less successful in this role than his predecessor, Ernest Mangnall; he took little interest in the running of the team and largely left the players to their own devices.

As a result, the club slumped from being title challengers to barely avoiding relegation, and Bentley handed over to Jack Robson in 1914.

He remained involved with Manchester United until retiring from club administration, in 1916, due to ill health.

Bentley was born in June 1860 in Chapeltown, a small village to the south of Darwen, between Bolton and Blackburn.

His father ran the grocer's shop on Chapeltown high street, next door to the Chetham Arms public house.

[citation needed] Bentley died aged 58, on 2 September 1918 at Fairhaven, Lytham St Annes.