James Beech was an early footballer. He played as a centre-half

Defender (association football)

Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....

 for Burslem Port Vale

Port Vale F.C.

Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...

 between 1894 and 1902, making 151 appearances in the Football League

The Football League

The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...

.

Playing career

Beech played for Smallthorne St. Saviour and Smallthorne Albion before joining Burslem Port Vale

Port Vale F.C.

Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...

 in May 1894. By 1896 he had become a regular and was a part of the 1898 Staffordshire Senior Cup

Staffordshire Senior Cup

The Staffordshire Senior Challenge Cup is a football cup tournament based in the county of Staffordshire in England first competed for in 1877-78. Organised by the Staffordshire Football Association, it is competed for by a mix of clubs from Staffordshire and the surrounding areas. Both...

 winning side. However, in November 1901 he became seriously ill and retired from football at the end of the 1901–02

1901–02 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season

The 1901–02 season was Burslem Port Vale's fourth consecutive season of football in the Football League. The season was an unremarkable mid-table affair, however was a positive step for the club as they managed to turn a profit without selling any major players.-Second Division:After an...

 season.

His benefit match was held against rivals

Potteries derby

The Potteries derby is the football local derby in Stoke-on-Trent between Port Vale and Stoke City. The fans of each club both consider the other to be their main rivals; this has led to a heated atmosphere at these matches, especially with the rise of football hooliganism and the 'Naughty Forty'...

 Stoke

Stoke City F.C.

Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...

on 15 April 1901, Vale won the game 2–1.