Ben Purkiss

Benjamin John Purkiss (born 1 April 1984) is an English former professional footballer and former chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA).

Having failed to break into the Sheffield United first-team, he joined Gainsborough Trinity in 2003.

Born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, Purkiss progressed through the Sheffield United youth system and was included in the first-team for the 2003–04 season.

He was released by United in 2003 and joined Northern Premier League Premier Division club Gainsborough Trinity, choosing to pursue a career in semi-professional football while studying for a degree in French and Law at the University of Sheffield.

He made his debut for Gainsborough in a 2–0 defeat to Stalybridge Celtic on 16 August.

He played in a 7–1 defeat to Second Division team Brentford in the FA Cup first round on 8 November.

Purkiss was targeted by Third Division club Scunthorpe United and was handed a trial at the club in December 2003.

He finished the season with 34 appearances for Gainsborough and signed a new one-year contract on 5 May 2004.

He scored his first goal in a 2–1 defeat to Alfreton Town on 17 August.

He completed 2004–05 with 37 appearances 1 one goal.

His 2005–06 season was restricted to 15 appearances due to his studies in France.

He started in a 3–1 defeat to League Two team Barnet in the FA Cup first round on 11 November 2006.

He spent four years at the club before winning a move to York City in 2007.

Purkiss joined Conference National club York City on loan until the end of 2006–07 on 22 March 2007 in time for their play-off push.

Purkiss had been considering a move to the club for some time and eventually agreed a deal that included a loan period and a four-figure sum for Gainsborough despite there being only five weeks remaining on his contract.

Prior to signing, he had made 35 appearances for Gainsborough that season.

Once at York Purkiss went straight into the first-team, making his debut as a substitute in York's 1–1 draw with Exeter City.

He was offered a permanent contract with York at the end of the season after making eight appearances on loan.

He finished 2007–08 with 46 appearances for York.

He finished 2008–09 with 47 appearances and two goals for York and was offered a new contract by the club.

He delayed signing as he wanted to see if the club would retain their key players and he eventually signed a new one-year contract on 8 June.

He played for York in the 2009 FA Trophy final and 2010 Conference Premier play-off final, both of which ended in defeat.

Purkiss played in the 2009 FA Trophy final at Wembley Stadium on 9 May 2009, which York lost 2–0 to Stevenage Borough.

He meanwhile continued his studies, and graduated from the College of Law in 2009, and represented Great Britain at the 2009 Summer Universiade in Serbia.

He finished 2009–10 with 47 appearances and one goal for York and was offered a new contract by the club, which he rejected.

He signed for Oxford on a two-year contract on 21 May following their promotion to League Two.

He signed with Oxford United in May 2010, and after one season with the club was loaned out to Darlington, before he was allowed to join Hereford United in January 2012.

He started in the 2010 Conference Premier play-off final at Wembley on 16 May 2010, which was lost 3–1 to Oxford United.

He made his debut in a 0–0 draw with Wycombe Wanderers as an 11th-minute substitute on 21 August and his first start came in a 1–0 defeat away to West Ham United of the Premier League in the League Cup on 24 August.

He was made available for loan by Oxford in March 2011, and told he could leave the club permanently in the summer.

He eventually signed for Conference Premier club Darlington on one-month loan on 5 August, and after making seven appearances the loan was extended for a further two months in September.

He returned to Oxford in November following the expiry of his loan at Darlington.

Purkiss left Oxford on 24 January 2012 after being released from his contract and subsequently signed for League Two rivals Hereford United.

He made 15 appearances for the club before leaving Edgar Street in the summer after Hereford were relegated out of the Football League.

Purkiss signed for League One club Walsall on a one-year contract, on 6 August 2012 after a successful trial; he rejoined his former Hereford boss Richard O'Kelly, who had just been appointed assistant manager at Walsall.

Purkiss joined Walsall in August the same year, and spent three seasons with the club, appearing on the losing team in the 2015 Football League Trophy final.

He joined Port Vale in June 2015, and was appointed as joint-captain the following year.

He switched to Swindon Town in June 2017, and then rejoined Walsall in October 2018.

He was elected as chairman of the PFA in November 2017.

He served in the role for four years.