Benito Carbone

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Personal information
Benito Carbone
Full name	Benito Carbone
Date of birth	August 14, 1971 (1971-08-14) (age 36)
Place of birth	Bagnara Calabra, Italy
Height	5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Playing position	Forward
Youth clubs
1987–88	Torino
Senior clubs¹
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1988–1990 1990–1991 1991–1992 1992–1993 1993–1994 1994–1995 1995–1996 1996–1999 1999–2000 2000–2001 2001–2002 2002 2002–2003 2003–2004 2004–2005 2005–2006 2006	Torino Reggina Casertana Ascoli Torino Napoli Inter Sheffield Wednesday Aston Villa Bradford City Derby County Middlesbrough Como Parma Catanzaro Vicenza Sydney FC Total	008 0(0) 031 0(5) 031 0(4) 028 0(6) 028 0(3) 029 0(4) 032 0(2) 096 (25) 023 0(4) 042 (10) 013 0(1) 013 0(1) 022 0(2) 019 0(4) 027 0(7) 028 0(5) 003 0(2) 460 (84)
¹ Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 07:49, September 11, 2007 (UTC). * Appearances (Goals)

Benito Carbone (born August 14, 1971 in Bagnara) is a former Italian professional footballer who played as a forward, winger or midfielder. He was known for his superb technique and great goals.

[edit] Career

Carbone began his career in 1989 with Torino in his native Italy, and became a journeyman for the next few years before being signed by Sheffield Wednesday in 1996 for £3 million from Internazionale. Carbone became the club's highest goal scorer for the 1998–99 season scoring nine goals and was voted the fan's favourite player.^[1]

After a contract dispute with Wednesday at the start of the 1999–2000 season, he joined Aston Villa for an undisclosed fee and played for a season at Villa Park, earning an FA Cup runners up medal after Villa lost 1–0 in the final to Chelsea. He had previously scored a hat-trick against Leeds United in an earlier round, including a spectacular long range strike that is still considered to be one of the greatest FA Cup goals ever.^{[citation needed]} At the start of the 2000–01 season, he joined Bradford City on a free transfer and scored some memorable goals and endeared himself to the Valley Parade faithful, who still consider him to be one of their greatest ever players.^{[citation needed]} Bradford City were relegated and although he played the start of the following season with them, he later moved on loan to first Derby County and then Middlesbrough. In 2002, he left Bradford, after they went into administration, and returned to Italy with Como and played for Parma from 2003 to 2005.

Carbone received much criticism from the media throughout his time in England. Some writers and pundits accused him of being a mercenary due to Carbone moving clubs on a regular occurrence. He was, however, very popular with the fans of his clubs, particularly at Sheffield Wednesday and Bradford City. He also waived much of the money owed to him after he had moved to Como which helped City survive in the administration of 2002.

After a one-year stint with Vicenza, Carbone signed for a four-game guest contract with the Australian team Sydney FC. He capped his first game against Adelaide United off with two assists and a goal. He was a potential replacement for Dwight Yorke, who was the previous marquee player at the club and after his debut many believed would be better than Yorke.^[2]

During Carbone's third guest game, he pulled a hamstring muscle that ruled him out of football for at least seven weeks, ending his short lived career with Sydney. Carbone failed to reach an agreement with Sydney for a long term contract and was linked with a move to the Middle East, but has since announced his retirement from competitive football in September 2006.^[3]