Former Shrewsbury boss described as a ‘madman’ in hilarious rant

The pair worked together during Bennett's time at Bristol City and Cotterill then brought him back to Shropshire in 2021 when he signed for Shrewsbury - where he saw out the remainder of his professional playing career. 

Bennett was always fond of Cotterill, and speaking on the podcast I Had Trials Once, he revealed a brilliant story involving his former manager. 

(Warning, the story contains bad language).

"I went on loan to Bristol with Steve Cotterill," Bennett recalled. "Honestly, great guy. I love him to bits, but what an absolute madman. 

"Madman in every respect possible. An unbelievable person, he will give you all the time in the world. Once he loses his s*** it is game over. 

"I was at Bristol on loan, and myself and my agent were speaking about signing there. By the time January came around, I had six months left on my deal at Norwich. 

"I know I am not getting a new contract. It is time to go. 

"My agent said to Steve, do you want to sign him? He said I would love to sign him, so he sent over a contract.

"We said that is not really where we were at - it needs to be a bit more. He says 'I am not paying that money for a right wing-back'. 

"We said no problem as there was other interest. 

"It got to January, and my loan ended, so I went home, back to my house in Norwich. I was sitting there, and Steve Cotterill rang me and said 'Where the f***ing hell are you?'

"He said 'You haven't taken your boots or your shinpads.' I was like don't worry about it, I have loads of boots.

"And then he was like 'Why did you not come and say bye to everyone?' I was like my loan finished after the game. 

"He was like, 'Are you not coming back?' I explained my agent had spoken to me about the contract and if you could make it a bit better. 

"He was like 'No. That is what it is. You are a f***ing right wing-back. And what is this about Blackburn anyway?' 

"I explained that my agent said they wanted to meet me. And he says 'What, so you are going to go and meet them are you? After everything I have done for you?'

"I said yes, I need to go and hear what they have got to say. He said 'You are a f***ing 'C'. Your agent is a f***ing 'C', and neither of you are welcome back in Bristol ever again.' 

"I am thinking oh no - I have properly upset this guy. I tried to ring him back, but he eliminates the call. 

"I promise you now I never spoke to him from that time he put the phone down until I signed for Shrewsbury five and a half years later. Not one conversation, text message, nothing. 

"He whipped me clean out until I signed for Shrewsbury.

"I walked in with my agent, the same agent that I had when I was at Bristol. I sat there, he came in. He had his flip-flops on, and he has got his socks on. He comes in, he has just been on holiday, he is all brown and tanned and he goes 'Here we are. If the devil could cast his f***ing net'. He claps his hands and he goes. 'You two, get the f*** out of here.'

"Me and my agent are like 'Oh no he has stitched us up and he has just got us here one last time to ruin us'. And then he goes ‘I am only playing... how are you Benno?'"