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Loan spells at Norwich City and Blackburn Rovers followed
between 2004 and 2006, in which time Bentley proved that he could compete at
the highest level, playing 26 Premier League games for the Canaries, scoring
twice and 14 further games at Ewood Park. He permanently signed for Blackburn
in January 2006 and within days achieved his Lipoqq career highlight to date - a hat-trick for Rovers
in a 4-3 win over Manchester United on February 1, 2006. By this stage, Bentley
was a regular fixture in England's U21 team, indeed he was the first Englishman
to score at the new Wembley Stadium against Italy's U21 side on March 24, 2007.
After an impressive season for Blackburn in 2006-07, he was called up for an
England B game and thereafter found his way into England's full international
squad with call-ups for matches against Brazil and Estonia.