The Football’s Next Star winner, who earned a contract with Inter Milan, will be coaching in the FA Cup this weekend!
Ben Greenhalgh, who won Sky One’s Football’s Next Star 16 years ago and earned a contract with Inter Milan, is now set to manage Dartford in their FA Cup match against Westfield on Saturday. Back in 2010, Ben landed a six-month deal with the Serie A giants and now hopes to guide Dartford, who play in the Isthmian League Premier Division, into the second qualifying round of this season’s FA Cup.
At 34, Ben is juggling both playing and managing duties, just like he did at Margate, where he helped the team finish fourth in the Isthmian South-East Division. He has great memories of the FA Cup too—like in 2014, when he assisted the winning goal for Maidstone against League Two side Stevenage.
Ben wants to improve Dartford’s performance in this historic competition. “We set goals for the team at the start of the season, including how far we want to go in the FA Cup,” he told Kent Online. “A good cup run can really help the club, not just financially.”
Ben’s journey is impressive. After shining alongside players like Craig Walsh and Connor Smith, Inter Milan’s academy coach Marco Monti gave him that first contract. He’s the only British player ever to receive a Champions League winner’s medal while with Inter.
After his initial six months, Ben signed on for another season and spent some time on loan at Calcio Como. He left Inter in 2011 and went on to play for clubs including Welling United, Concord Rangers, Ebbsfleet, and Scotland’s Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Ben was also scouted by Select Sport Artists and even worked as Cristiano Ronaldo’s body double! If he hadn’t won his Inter Milan contract, Harry Redknapp might have signed him to Spurs for two years, Ben later revealed.
In 2024, Ben took on the role of player/manager at Margate. “It’s an honor to be part of this club and to follow some great managers in Margate’s history,” he said. “I’m grateful for the chance and eager to get the team winning again.”
After Margate finished fourth in the league but lost in the play-off semi-finals, Dartford brought Ben on board in May. “I first watched Dartford play in 2006 and have lived nearby ever since. I know the club well and was disappointed to only play here for a short time,” he shared in his first interview. “I understand the club’s ambitions because they match my own. I look forward to building a team that shares my passion and bringing Dartford back to where it deserves to be.”