Ben Hockenhull

Last updated

Ben Hockenhull
Ben Hockenhull, Brentford F.C. footballer.jpg
Hockenhull playing for Brentford B in April 2022.
Personal information
Full name Ben William Hockenhull [1]
Date of birth (2001-09-03) 3 September 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Crewe, England
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) [2]
Position(s) Central defender
Team information
Current team
Nantwich Town
Youth career
2007–2020 Manchester United
2020–2022 Brentford
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2022–2024 Tranmere Rovers 3 (0)
2022–2023Warrington Rylands (loan) 19 (0)
2023Chorley (loan) 1 (0)
2023Spennymoor Town (loan) 6 (1)
2024Southport (loan) 13 (0)
2024 Stafford Rangers 4 (0)
2024–2025 Bury 22 (3)
2025– Curzon Ashton 0 (0)
2025Mossley (dual-reg) 5 (0)
2025Nantwich Town (dual-reg) 9 (1)
2025– Nantwich Town 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:20, 9 August 2025 (UTC)

Ben William Hockenhull (born 3 September 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Northern Premier League Division One West club Nantwich Town.

Contents

Hockenhull is a product of the Manchester United academy and began his professional career with Brentford. Following two seasons of B team football, his senior career began with Tranmere Rovers in 2022. After failing to break into the first team squad, Hockenhull dropped into non-League football in 2024.

Career

Manchester United

A central defender, Hockenhull entered the Manchester United academy at age six and progressed to sign a scholarship in 2018. [3] [4] Despite having one year remaining on his scholarship, he departed Carrington in July 2020. [5]

Brentford

On 23 July 2020, Hockenhull transferred to the B team at Brentford and signed a two-year contract, with the option of a further year, [3] for an undisclosed fee. [6] After an injury-hit 2020–21 season spent acclimatising to the rigours of professional football, Hockenhull progressed during the early months of 2021–22 to training with the first team and at times, captaining the B team. [7] He was a part of the B team's 2021–22 London Senior Cup-winning squad and transferred away from the club in May 2022. [8] During two seasons with Brentford B, Hockenhull made 54 appearances and scored one goal. [8]

Tranmere Rovers

On 27 May 2022, Hockenhull signed a two-year contract with League Two club Tranmere Rovers, effective 10 June 2022. [9] [10] Hockenhull made his debut with a start in a 1–0 EFL Trophy group stage win over Crewe Alexandra on 18 October 2022 and three days later, [11] he joined Northern Premier League Premier Division club Warrington Rylands on a loan that was later extended until the end of the 2022–23 season. [12] [13] He made 20 appearances in all competitions during his spell. [14]

Following 2023–24 pre-season involvement with the first team squad, [15] Hockenhull spent much of the regular season away on loan at National League North clubs Chorley, [16] Spennymoor Town and Southport. [17] [18] [19] Hockenhull make three late-season League Two appearances for Tranmere Rovers, [20] which were his last for the club prior to his release when his contract expired at the end of the season. [21]

Non-League football

In August 2024, Hockenhull signed a contract with Northern Premier League Division One West club Stafford Rangers. [22] After making four appearances, [23] he transferred to North West Counties League Premier Division club Bury. [24] He made 24 appearances and scored four goals prior to his departure in January 2025. [25] Hockenhull played the second half of the 2024–25 season with Curzon Ashton, but played most of his matches with Mossley and Nantwich Town respectively on a dual-registration basis. [26] He transferred permanently to Nantwich Town in June 2025. [27]

Personal life

Hockenhull is the son of former football manager Andy Hockenhull. [28]

Career statistics

As of match played 9 August 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeague FA Cup League Cup OtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Tranmere Rovers 2022–23 [11] League Two 0000001 [a] 010
2023–24 [20] League Two30000030
Total3000001040
Warrington Rylands (loan) 2022–23 [14] Northern Premier League Premier Division1901 [b] 0200
Chorley (loan) 2023–24 [29] National League North 1010
Spennymoor Town (loan)2023–24 [29] National League North610061
Southport (loan)2023–24 [30] National League North1301 [c] 0140
Stafford Rangers 2024–25 [23] Northern Premier League Division One West301040
Bury 2024–25 [31] North West Counties League Premier Division2232 [d] 1244
Curzon Ashton 2024–25 [32] National League North001 [e] 010
Mossley (dual-registration) 2024–25 [33] Northern Premier League Division One West5050
Nantwich Town (dual-registration)2024–25 [34] Northern Premier League Division One West9191
Nantwich Town 2025–26 [35] Northern Premier League Division One West10000010
Total1010000101
Career total825100061896
  1. Appearance in EFL Trophy
  2. Appearance in FA Trophy
  3. Appearance in Lancashire Junior Cup
  4. Appearances in FA Vase
  5. Appearance in Manchester Premier Cup

Playing style

Hockenhull has been described as an "imposing central defender" with "the ability to win the ball in the air, but is also a talented defender with the ball at his feet". [36]

Honours

Brentford B

References

  1. "EFL Squad List 2020/21 & U21 Registered Contract Players" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  2. Ben Hockenhull at WorldFootball.net
  3. 1 2 "Ben Hockenhull signs for Brentford B from Manchester United". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  4. "Man Utd Under-18 intake 2018/19 season". www.manutd.com. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  5. "Ben Hockenhull joins Brentford". www.manutd.com. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  6. "2020 Summer Transfer Window round-up". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  7. ""It's about having the mentality to keep going every day"". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 "Ben Hockenhull heads to Tranmere Rovers on permanent deal". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  9. "Ben Hockenhull joins Tranmere!". www.tranmererovers.co.uk. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  10. "Tranmere sign Brentford defender Hockhenhull". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  11. 1 2 "Games played by Ben Hockenhull in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  12. @RylandsFC (21 October 2022). "✍🏻⚽️NEW SIGNING⚽️✍🏻 We are pleased to announce the signing of @BenHockenhull1 from @TranmereRovers on loan until January. Welcome to the club Ben! #WeAreRylands" (Tweet). Retrieved 24 October 2022 via Twitter.
  13. @RylandsFC (13 January 2023). "⚽️✍🔵 Ben Stays 🔵✍⚽️ We are delighted to announce that @BenHockenhull1 loan from @TranmereRovers has been extended to the end of the season! #WeAreRylands" (Tweet). Retrieved 13 January 2023 via Twitter.
  14. 1 2 "Warrington Rylands | Appearances | Ben Hockenhull | 2022–2023". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  15. "Ben Hockenhull recalled from Southport loan". Tranmere Rovers FC. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  16. "Ben Hockenhull makes short loan move to Chorley". www.tranmererovers.co.uk. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  17. "Ben Hockenhull makes Spennymoor loan move". www.tranmererovers.co.uk. 3 November 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  18. "Ben Hockenhull joins Southport on short loan". www.tranmererovers.co.uk. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  19. "Ben Hockenhull's Southport loan extended to end of season". www.tranmererovers.co.uk. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  20. 1 2 "Games played by Ben Hockenhull in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  21. "2023/24 retained and released list". www.tranmererovers.co.uk. 30 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  22. "Squad Bolstered". Stafford Rangers Football Club. 10 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  23. 1 2 "Stafford Rangers | Appearances | Ben Hockenhull". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  24. "Welcome to Bury: Ben Hockenhull". Bury Football Club. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  25. "Squad Update". Bury Football Club. 16 January 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  26. Price, Liam (8 March 2025). "Dabbers sign defender Ben Hockenhull on dual reg from Curzon". Nantwich Town. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  27. "Dabbers sign Ben Hockenhull". Nantwich Town. 29 June 2025. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  28. Templeman, Ian. "Sandbach United starlets progress". www.nwcfl.com. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  29. 1 2 Ben Hockenhull at Soccerway . Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  30. "Player Details". Southport Central. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  31. "Ben Hockenhull". Bury Football Club. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  32. "Curzon Ashton | Appearances | Ben Hockenhull | 2024–2025". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
  33. "Mossley | Appearances | Ben Hockenhull | 2024–2025". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
  34. "Nantwich Town | Appearances | Ben Hockenhull | 2024–2025". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  35. "Nantwich Town | Appearances | Ben Hockenhull". Football Web Pages. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  36. "Middlesex Senior Challenge Cup Final – Barnet F.C. vs Brentford B". 12 April 2022. p. 15. Retrieved 29 April 2022.