[2][3] Born in Kilburn, Middlesex, Bennett started playing competitive football as an amateur for Southall, who competed in the Athenian League.
This enabled him to play eleven times for England at amateur level, and to keep goal for Great Britain at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.
[6] Great Britain were eliminated 5–3 in the preliminary round by Luxembourg after extra time, in a match that finished 1–1 after 90 minutes.
[8] Bennett played 86 of Watford's next 87 games, before a finger injury ended his Football League career in 1955.
He was sold to Gravesend and Northfleet of the Southern Football League in September 1956 for a nominal transfer fee.