Articles
Beardsley enjoying a new lease of life (The Daily Telegraph)
by Nicholas Spencer of "The Daily Telegraph" - published 5 November 1996
TO Kevin Keegan the ageless Peter Beardsley is "a little gem," a manager's dream whose trouble quotient is measured only by the number of problems he poses the opposition. Yet after the Newcastle captain scored twice against Middlesbrough to mark his 700th game, even Keegan might agree that he had underestimated the veteran's impact.
As a model professional, Beardsley accepts being left out as an occupational hazard, whether from England's Euro 96 squad - immediately congratulating his replacement, Nick Barmby - or the Newcastle team, as happened during the stumbling start to the season when he watched defeats by Everton and Sheffield Wednesday from the bench.
Beardsley's return coincided with a run of seven consecutive wins and Newcastle's rise to the top of the Premiership. Meanwhile, the passing of one landmark has merely concentrated his mind on the next.
"I am looking for a new contract when mine expires in 18 months' time and I don't see why I shouldn't break the 800-game barrier," he said. "I never worry about my age. I will know when it's time to pack in but it's not yet."
Not a bad position for a man whose return to his home town club in 1993 was regarded by some as a useful piece of PR and a convenient link with Keegan's glory days as a player at Newcastle, when Beardsley was a willing foil. Then again, Beardsley was a late developer, tardy enough for Manchester United to pass on him as a 22-year-old after a year-long loan from Vancouver Whitecaps without so much as a first-team game.
"One injury or one bad game and I might never get my place back again," he says, mindful of the experiences of the likes of Lee Clark, Warren Barton and John Beresford during Keegan's frantic accumulation of talent. This year alone Beardsley's place has come under threat from the differing qualities offered by Faustino Asprilla and Alan Shearer. Last season he found himself briefly on the right-wing; this season, the man who made the blueprint for the deeper lying member of the split-striker formation alongside Gary Lineker for England has retreated a touch further.
"The only person I need to impress is Kevin Keegan. I don't feel 35"
With his 36th birthday approaching in January, Beardsley has had to sacrifice some of the endless worrying, scurrying and expert tackling back that hallmarked his play.
"It's easy to play in this team and Robert Lee and David Batty give me the freedom to operate behind the front two strikers by doing all the legwork," he admits, with typical generosity. "The only person I need to impress is Kevin Keegan. I don't feel 35."
Bryan Robson, a former England colleague, identifies with Beardsley's infectious enthusiasm. "Peter loves football and it shows. People talk about age but he still has the passion to want to do it. I know how hard it was for Terry Venables to leave him out of Euro 96. If more had followed his lead we'd have a lot more good players in England," he said.
Television viewers shared a special moment for the Beardsley family on Sunday when Peter celebrated his penalty against Middlesbrough with his seven-year-old son, Drew - on ballboy duty behind the goal not because he wanted to share his father's special day but, in the contrary way of the children of the famous, because he wanted to see Boro's Fabrizio Ravanelli in the flesh. Families are useful antidotes to football's pressures, though the suggestion that Beardsley, a teetotaller who has seen and done it all with Liverpool and England, would crack without them is laughable.
If any inspiration is needed it is the threat that injury or Anno Domini will prevent him helping his beloved Newcastle to a long overdue trophy.
"All the euphoria of beating Manchester United 5-0 will count for nothing if we don't win something. We realise people are still pointing fingers at us and asking questions about our defence and the only way we will silence the doubters is by putting something in the trophy cabinet. Whether it is the league or a cup only time will tell." Only when that mission is accomplished will Beardsley be able to contemplate life after playing.
"Ideally, when I eventually hang up my boots I'd like to stay at Newcastle. The gaffer has said there will always be a job for me here. I'd do anything. Football have given me everything over 18 years and I could not just walk away."
Beardsley fact-file
Born: Newcastle. Age: 35.
TOTAL APPEARANCES
Apps Goals
1979-82 Carlisle 126 29
1982-83 Man Utd 1 0
1983-87 Newcastle 164 61
1987-91 Liverpool 175 59
1991-93 Everton 95 32
1993-96 Newcastle 139 54
Total 700 235
INTERNATIONALS
57 appearances, 9 goals
TO Kevin Keegan the ageless Peter Beardsley is "a little gem," a manager's dream whose trouble quotient is measured only by the number of problems he poses the opposition. Yet after the Newcastle captain scored twice against Middlesbrough to mark his 700th game, even Keegan might agree that he had underestimated the veteran's impact.
As a model professional, Beardsley accepts being left out as an occupational hazard, whether from England's Euro 96 squad - immediately congratulating his replacement, Nick Barmby - or the Newcastle team, as happened during the stumbling start to the season when he watched defeats by Everton and Sheffield Wednesday from the bench.
Beardsley's return coincided with a run of seven consecutive wins and Newcastle's rise to the top of the Premiership. Meanwhile, the passing of one landmark has merely concentrated his mind on the next.
"I am looking for a new contract when mine expires in 18 months' time and I don't see why I shouldn't break the 800-game barrier," he said. "I never worry about my age. I will know when it's time to pack in but it's not yet."
Not a bad position for a man whose return to his home town club in 1993 was regarded by some as a useful piece of PR and a convenient link with Keegan's glory days as a player at Newcastle, when Beardsley was a willing foil. Then again, Beardsley was a late developer, tardy enough for Manchester United to pass on him as a 22-year-old after a year-long loan from Vancouver Whitecaps without so much as a first-team game.
"One injury or one bad game and I might never get my place back again," he says, mindful of the experiences of the likes of Lee Clark, Warren Barton and John Beresford during Keegan's frantic accumulation of talent. This year alone Beardsley's place has come under threat from the differing qualities offered by Faustino Asprilla and Alan Shearer. Last season he found himself briefly on the right-wing; this season, the man who made the blueprint for the deeper lying member of the split-striker formation alongside Gary Lineker for England has retreated a touch further.
"The only person I need to impress is Kevin Keegan. I don't feel 35"
With his 36th birthday approaching in January, Beardsley has had to sacrifice some of the endless worrying, scurrying and expert tackling back that hallmarked his play.
"It's easy to play in this team and Robert Lee and David Batty give me the freedom to operate behind the front two strikers by doing all the legwork," he admits, with typical generosity. "The only person I need to impress is Kevin Keegan. I don't feel 35."
Bryan Robson, a former England colleague, identifies with Beardsley's infectious enthusiasm. "Peter loves football and it shows. People talk about age but he still has the passion to want to do it. I know how hard it was for Terry Venables to leave him out of Euro 96. If more had followed his lead we'd have a lot more good players in England," he said.
Television viewers shared a special moment for the Beardsley family on Sunday when Peter celebrated his penalty against Middlesbrough with his seven-year-old son, Drew - on ballboy duty behind the goal not because he wanted to share his father's special day but, in the contrary way of the children of the famous, because he wanted to see Boro's Fabrizio Ravanelli in the flesh. Families are useful antidotes to football's pressures, though the suggestion that Beardsley, a teetotaller who has seen and done it all with Liverpool and England, would crack without them is laughable.
If any inspiration is needed it is the threat that injury or Anno Domini will prevent him helping his beloved Newcastle to a long overdue trophy.
"All the euphoria of beating Manchester United 5-0 will count for nothing if we don't win something. We realise people are still pointing fingers at us and asking questions about our defence and the only way we will silence the doubters is by putting something in the trophy cabinet. Whether it is the league or a cup only time will tell." Only when that mission is accomplished will Beardsley be able to contemplate life after playing.
"Ideally, when I eventually hang up my boots I'd like to stay at Newcastle. The gaffer has said there will always be a job for me here. I'd do anything. Football have given me everything over 18 years and I could not just walk away."
Beardsley fact-file
Born: Newcastle. Age: 35.
TOTAL APPEARANCES
Apps Goals
1979-82 Carlisle 126 29
1982-83 Man Utd 1 0
1983-87 Newcastle 164 61
1987-91 Liverpool 175 59
1991-93 Everton 95 32
1993-96 Newcastle 139 54
Total 700 235
INTERNATIONALS
57 appearances, 9 goals
