Pat Beasley
Encyclopedia
Albert "Pat" Beasley was a professional
footballer
and manager
.
, Worcestershire
, Beasley began his career as a winger playing for local sides in Kidderminster
, before joining Stourbridge
. In 1931, while still only seventeen he was signed for £550 by Arsenal
. Initially in the youth and reserve teams, he made his first-team debut away to Sunderland
on April 6, 1932, but only played sporadically at first, with regulars Joe Hulme
and Cliff Bastin
keeping the young Beasley out of the side.
An injury to Hulme in 1933-34
opened the door for Beasley, who scored ten goals in 23 league games as Arsenal won the First Division
title, and he remained in the side for the 1934-35
season. However Beasley faced competition from both Hulme and new signing Alf Kirchen
, and he missed the Gunners' 1936 FA Cup
Final win over Sheffield United
. In October 1936 he was sold to Huddersfield Town
for £750. In total he made 90 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 25 goals.
He spent three full seasons with Huddersfield Town, playing 108 league games, and reaching a second FA Cup Final in 1938, which they lost to Preston North End
. In 1939 he won his one and only England
in a match against Scotland
. He also won two unofficial caps during the Second World War, in which he also occasionally guested for his old side Arsenal.
He continued to play after hostilities ended; after playing for Fulham
, he became Bristol City
's player-manager in 1950. He was manager until 1958. He became manager of Birmingham City
in 1959 but was only in the post for a year. He later scout
ed for Fulham
and managed Dover
. He retired to live in Chard
, Somerset
, and died in Taunton
at the age of 72.
Professional
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,...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
.
Football career
Born in StourbridgeStourbridge
Stourbridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. Historically part of Worcestershire, Stourbridge was a centre of glass making, and today includes the suburbs of Amblecote, Lye, Norton, Oldswinford, Pedmore, Wollaston, Wollescote and Wordsley The...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, Beasley began his career as a winger playing for local sides in Kidderminster
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
, before joining Stourbridge
Stourbridge F.C.
Stourbridge Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Stourbridge, West Midlands. The club currently plays in the Southern League Premier Division.-Early years:The club was founded in 1876 and was originally known as Stourbridge Standard...
. In 1931, while still only seventeen he was signed for £550 by Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
. Initially in the youth and reserve teams, he made his first-team debut away to Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
on April 6, 1932, but only played sporadically at first, with regulars Joe Hulme
Joe Hulme
Joseph Harold Anthony "Joe" Hulme was an English footballer and cricketer.-Football career:Born in Stafford, Staffordshire Hulme usually played as a right-winger...
and Cliff Bastin
Cliff Bastin
Clifford Sydney Bastin was an English football player.Born in Heavitree near Exeter, Bastin started his career at Exeter City, making his debut for the club in 1928, at the age of 16...
keeping the young Beasley out of the side.
An injury to Hulme in 1933-34
1933-34 in English football
The 1933–34 season was the 59th season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
opened the door for Beasley, who scored ten goals in 23 league games as Arsenal won the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
title, and he remained in the side for the 1934-35
1934-35 in English football
The 1934–35 season was the 60th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Arsenal become only the second team to win the League three consecutive times.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
season. However Beasley faced competition from both Hulme and new signing Alf Kirchen
Alf Kirchen
Alfred John "Alf" Kirchen was an English footballer.Born in Shouldham, Norfolk, Kirchen played for local clubs, and for his county at youth level. He was signed by Tom Parker, the manager of Second Division Norwich City in 1934 and he immediately impressed, scoring seven goals in fourteen League...
, and he missed the Gunners' 1936 FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
Final win over Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
. In October 1936 he was sold to Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
for £750. In total he made 90 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 25 goals.
He spent three full seasons with Huddersfield Town, playing 108 league games, and reaching a second FA Cup Final in 1938, which they lost to Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
. In 1939 he won his one and only England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
in a match against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. He also won two unofficial caps during the Second World War, in which he also occasionally guested for his old side Arsenal.
He continued to play after hostilities ended; after playing for Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
, he became Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
's player-manager in 1950. He was manager until 1958. He became manager of Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
in 1959 but was only in the post for a year. He later scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
ed for Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
and managed Dover
Dover F.C.
Dover F.C. was a football club based in Dover, Kent, England. The club joined the Kent League in 1894, but folded in 1901. Dover F.C. was revived a year later, this time as a purely amateur club, and rejoined the Kent League, but folded again in 1909...
. He retired to live in Chard
Chard, Somerset
Chard is a town and civil parish in the Somerset county of England. It lies on the A30 road near the Devon border, south west of Yeovil. The parish has a population of approximately 12,000 and, at an elevation of , it is the southernmost and highest town in Somerset...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, and died in Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
at the age of 72.
As a player
- with Arsenal
- Football League First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
champions 1934, 1935
- Football League First Division
- with Huddersfield Town
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
runner-up 1938
- FA Cup
- with Bristol City
- Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
champions 1950
- Football League Second Division
As a manager
- with Bristol City
- Football League Third Division SouthFootball League Third Division SouthThe Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
champions 1955
- Football League Third Division South
- with Birmingham City
- Inter-Cities Fairs CupInter-Cities Fairs CupThe Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was a European football competition played between 1955 and 1971. The competition was the idea of Swiss pools supremo Ernst Thommen, Ottorino Barassi from Italy, and the English Football Association general secretary Stanley Rous, all of whom later became senior officials...
runner-up 1960Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1958-60The second Inter-Cities Fairs Cup took place between 1958 and 1960 and was won by Barcelona for the second consecutive time in a two-legged final against Birmingham City. Once again, a number of countries sent a representative team for one of their main cities, although London sent Chelsea instead...
- Inter-Cities Fairs Cup