Peter Beardsley is a forward in English football whose playing career can be considered among the finest in the modern history of this national sport discipline. Being noted for a remarkable technique, intelligent movement and creative playmaking abilities, Beardsley managed to become both an efficient striker and a creative forward able to help score as much as he himself was scoring. Having been born on January 18 in the town of Hexham, located in the county of Northumberland, this player started his successful playing career in English lower leagues to finish it in the leading English teams.

Career

Beardsley's path to professional English football was rather tough because this sport discipline developed very rapidly in those days and good scouting work was essential to succeed. This talented forward entered professional football in 1979 with Carlisle United, thus starting the first stage of his future career. He moved to the Vancouver Whitecaps to get some experience of non-English football before returning and making a significant step toward success by joining Newcastle United. Here, at one of the leading football teams in England, Beardsley became a widely known player and fan favorite.

At Newcastle United he revealed all his technical potential, becoming a remarkable striker able to provide not only goals for his club. Beardsley was never known for being a player who scored goals simply running at full speed because his style was different. First of all he showed good sense of timing, good balance and close ball control and he was always able to enter the gap to link the attack and open gaps for other players. This made him one of the most valuable players in his team because he could appear as an advanced midfielder as well.

Major stages of Beardsley's professional career include the following periods in English football:

  • Carlisle United, where he entered professional football
  • Vancouver Whitecaps - the first move to Canada
  • Newcastle United - the formation of his playing style
  • Liverpool, where he became one of the best team members
  • Everton and Bolton Wanderers - the end of the playing career

Beardsley joined Liverpool in 1987 to play for one of Britain's best teams. Coach Kenny Dalglish built his squad at this club on pace, self-confidence and technical skillfulness and thus Beardsley easily adapted his style of play there. Beardsley helped Liverpool to become league winners (in 1987-88). This forward was not only a goal scorer but an extremely intelligent player providing good link-up between midfield and attack of his team and thus helping it to perform well.

Beardsley's playing style was also characterized by a number of features:

  • he was not the most physically active player on the pitch but he constantly thought two steps ahead
  • his touch, his vision and his time-management ability let him always be in key situations
  • all of this was what made his playing style attractive

England's international team

It became clear to the scouts that Beardsley was the player worth representing England as an international forward and in 1986 this talented forward was chosen to play for the England national team. Soon after, in 1986, this forward was chosen to go together with the national team of England to the World Cup in Mexico and also to the World Cup of 1990 in Italy. The playing of this player was always characterized by inventiveness and subtlety and thus he was a real support for this England team that searched for creativity and inventiveness at that time. Beardsley provided that perfectly, appearing sometimes in a supporting role for more direct players like Hoddle, Lineker, etc. Being an intelligent player, he was the creator in England's attacking game.

The most interesting in the playing of Beardsley was his ability to combine subtlety of his game with discipline and intelligence. He used to enter deep areas to turn around an opponent and then pass the ball to his teammates; or he used to join late to enter the penalty box and to finish the attacking phase in favor of his countrymen. These traits of Beardsley's play made this forward rather adaptable, and it is not surprising that even today fans remember him as a classic English forward and goal scorer.

Later life

After Liverpool Beardsley had a short period of playing at Everton and in 1990 returned to his former team Newcastle to be a part of another wonderful period of his career. Joining his former team again at the end of 1990 was especially appreciated by fans of Newcastle because this player was considered to be the fans' favorite of this team. Playing there once more Beardsley proved once more his abilities in the game and managed to connect eras in the playing history of the Newcastle United football team.

Later this forward went to Bolton Wanderers and finished his career as a mature and experienced player who could affect the match in the case he was reading the situation in the right way. So, in fact, before retiring he was already a famous footballer who was famous just for his style of playing: a talented forward with excellent technique and subtle playing skills that let him be efficient in difficult situations at the football pitch.

Later in his career as a retired player he devoted himself to coaching, having coached young players of Newcastle United. Although later in his football years some controversial stories about his career appeared in the media, nevertheless they can not deny main facts: Beardsley managed to become a successful English footballer who succeeded in top clubs of England and played for the national team.