County legend, Ben Hinchliffe joined the Hatters in May 2016 after four very successful years with AFC Fylde, including four successive Play-Off campaigns and being named in the Divisional Team of the Year every season. He started his career under Billy Davies at Preston North End before following Davies to Derby County. He enjoyed a spell at Oxford United then moved back to Lancashire to play for Bamber Bridge before joining former County striker Andy Preece at Northwich Victoria, replacing James Spencer as Vic’s number one.
Six-foot-one Ben will forever be a hero to the Fylde fans, having scored the winning spot-kick in the 2014 Play-Off final penalty shootout against Ashton United which catapulted the Coasters into the Conference North. He also scored a 60-yard wonder goal in the 2013 Play-Off semi-final, which won Fylde’s Goal of the Season award.
He made 47 appearances in his first season out of a possible 50, and followed that up with 48 the following season. As County won the National League North the following year, Hinchliffe was the only player to play every minute of every game in all competitions that campaign and keeping 22 clean sheets.
Upon promotion, he remained very much County’s number one, missing only one game in 2019/20 in all competitions, keeping nine clean sheets before signing for the club full time prior to the 2020/21 season.
Over his time at County, Ben has now made over 350 appearances for the Club and remains a firm fan favourite. The 2020/21 season was one of his most successful in a County shirt, keeping 19 clean sheets in the National League – more than any other goalkeeper, as we missed out on promotion in the play-offs. His performances saw him share the club’s Players’ Player of the Year Award, alongside Ryan Croasdale.
Ben made his 250th appearance for the Club in February 2022, keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 win against Woking at Edgeley Park. Shortly after, he became the first ‘keeper in County’s history to keep 100 clean sheets for the Club, achieved in a 2-0 win at Eastleigh, before capped an incredible season by winning his second league title in three years as the Club secured promotion back to the National League.
In his first full season as an EFL goalkeeper, the 35-year-old continued to raise to the challenge. He made 46 appearances in all competitions, keeping 18 clean sheets in total – the most by a County goalkeeper in an EFL campaign since Paul Jones in 1996/97. Our tally of just 37 goals conceded was the second best defensive record in League Two that season, and County’s best tally in over 100 years – since the 1921/22 campaign.
Ben made his 300th appearance for the club against Grimsby Town in January 2023, a milestone trumped just a month when making his 307th against Harrogate – beating the record for the most appearances by a goalkeeper in the club’s history. His performance in our play-off semi-final win against Salford City further cemented his legendary status, saving two spot kicks in the shootout to send County to Wembley.
Ben’s home sponsor is Ben Walker, and his away sponsor is the Mason family.
Ben’s Stockport County Appearance Number (SCAN) is: 1357
