Joey Beauchamp
Encyclopedia
Joseph "Joey" Beauchamp , born 13 March 1971, is an English
football player who currently plays for Abingdon Town
of the Hellenic League
Premier Division.
Beauchamp plays primarily as a left-sided midfielder who played for most of his career at Oxford United
but also had spells with West Ham United
and Swindon Town
as well as a short loan spell at Swansea City
before moving into the lower leagues to play for Abingdon Town
.
and began his career with Oxford United
as a youth team player, living with his mum on the New Marston estate on Headington Hill, near the club's former home at the Manor Ground. His home was also less than half a mile from Oxford City FC's
current Court Place Farm home.
Beauchamp would go on to make 124 appearances for the club in his first spell in the yellow shirt, during whch time he also made five appearances on loan at Swansea City
.
for a then club record (sales) fee of £1.2 million. However, Beauchamp didn't last long - having not played a single competitive game for the Hammers, Beauchamp decided he couldn't stand the traffic travelling from Oxford each day, and a mere 58 days later he was signed by Swindon for a club-record combined fee of £800,000, which included defender Adrian Whitbread
going in the opposite direction. Whitbread was valued at £750,000 in the deal.
. At the end of the year, Swindon were relegated for the second successive season.
By now, Steve McMahon
had taken over as Town boss, and McMahon's and Beauchamp's footballing philosophies were apparently very different. As a result, Beauchamp hardly played the following season - making just one more start and three substitute appearances - one of which came against his former club, Oxford.
He would make a further 238 appearances in the yellow and blue, making him one of the club's longest-serving players. His goal against Blackpool in March 1996 was voted the greatest Oxford United goal by fans in 1999; he was also voted U's player of the 1990s. Three years after leaving the County Ground, an upturn in form saw a number of clubs again interested in Beauchamp's services, and Oxford agreed £800,000 deals with both Nottingham Forest and Southampton in November 1998. Unfortunately for Swindon, who had a 20% sell-on clause in the terms of his sale, Beauchamp failed to agree personal terms and remained at the Manor Ground, with Swindon missing out on a £145,000 bonus.
career came to an end when he sustained several recurring injuries in 2002 that forced him to retire. He then joined local part-timers Abingdon Town, where he still plays today alongside his brother, Luke.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
football player who currently plays for Abingdon Town
Abingdon Town F.C.
Abingdon Town F.C. is an English football club who currently play in the Hellenic Football League Premier Division.The club is located in Abingdon in Oxfordshire, England. They are rivals with Abingdon United. The club was formed in 1870. The ground at Abingdon Town holds 2,000 and the highest ever...
of the Hellenic League
Hellenic Football League
The Hellenic Football League is an English football league covering an area including the English counties of Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, southern Buckinghamshire, southern Herefordshire, western Greater London, and northern Wiltshire. There is also one team from Hampshire.The league...
Premier Division.
Beauchamp plays primarily as a left-sided midfielder who played for most of his career at Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
but also had spells with West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
and Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
as well as a short loan spell at Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
before moving into the lower leagues to play for Abingdon Town
Abingdon Town F.C.
Abingdon Town F.C. is an English football club who currently play in the Hellenic Football League Premier Division.The club is located in Abingdon in Oxfordshire, England. They are rivals with Abingdon United. The club was formed in 1870. The ground at Abingdon Town holds 2,000 and the highest ever...
.
Oxford United
Beauchamp was born in OxfordOxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and began his career with Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
as a youth team player, living with his mum on the New Marston estate on Headington Hill, near the club's former home at the Manor Ground. His home was also less than half a mile from Oxford City FC's
Oxford City F.C.
Oxford City Football Club is an English football club, currently playing in the Southern Football League Premier Division after gaining promotion via the Division One South & West playoffs...
current Court Place Farm home.
Beauchamp would go on to make 124 appearances for the club in his first spell in the yellow shirt, during whch time he also made five appearances on loan at Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
.
West Ham United
He was then sold to Premier League side West Ham UnitedWest Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
for a then club record (sales) fee of £1.2 million. However, Beauchamp didn't last long - having not played a single competitive game for the Hammers, Beauchamp decided he couldn't stand the traffic travelling from Oxford each day, and a mere 58 days later he was signed by Swindon for a club-record combined fee of £800,000, which included defender Adrian Whitbread
Adrian Whitbread
Adrian Whitbread is a former professional footballer. He played for Leyton Orient, Swindon Town, West Ham United, Portsmouth and Reading before retiring from playing due to a persistent knee injury...
going in the opposite direction. Whitbread was valued at £750,000 in the deal.
Swindon Town
Beauchamp made his debut for Town in the second league match of the season, coming on as a substitute in a 3-2 defeat at Tranmere on 20 August. He made more than fifty appearances in his first season. For his first goal, he scored the winner against Wolves in October, and ran fifty yards to jump into the arms of John GormanJohn Gorman (footballer)
John Gorman is a Scottish former football player and coach. He is currently Assistant Manager at MK Dons in the English League One....
. At the end of the year, Swindon were relegated for the second successive season.
By now, Steve McMahon
Steve McMahon
Stephen Joseph McMahon is an English former football midfielder who most notably played for Liverpool in the late 1980s...
had taken over as Town boss, and McMahon's and Beauchamp's footballing philosophies were apparently very different. As a result, Beauchamp hardly played the following season - making just one more start and three substitute appearances - one of which came against his former club, Oxford.
Back to Oxford
Before the end of the season, he was back in a yellow shirt for the return game - with McMahon deciding to sell him back to Oxford in November 1995, in a deal described as being "worth £300,000" to the club - though the Town only received £75,000 (the rest was the saving of his wages for the remainder of his contract). Beauchamp scored against Swindon in Oxford's 3-0 victory the following March.He would make a further 238 appearances in the yellow and blue, making him one of the club's longest-serving players. His goal against Blackpool in March 1996 was voted the greatest Oxford United goal by fans in 1999; he was also voted U's player of the 1990s. Three years after leaving the County Ground, an upturn in form saw a number of clubs again interested in Beauchamp's services, and Oxford agreed £800,000 deals with both Nottingham Forest and Southampton in November 1998. Unfortunately for Swindon, who had a 20% sell-on clause in the terms of his sale, Beauchamp failed to agree personal terms and remained at the Manor Ground, with Swindon missing out on a £145,000 bonus.
Retirement
His professionalProfessional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
career came to an end when he sustained several recurring injuries in 2002 that forced him to retire. He then joined local part-timers Abingdon Town, where he still plays today alongside his brother, Luke.