Peter Beardsley

English forward who set a record transfer fee in 1987 and won two league titles with Liverpool.

Peter Andrew Beardsley (born 18 January 1961) is an English football coach and former footballer who played as a forward or midfielder. In 1987, he set a record transfer fee in the English game. He represented his country 59 times between 1986 and 1996, once as captain, taking part in two FIFA World Cups (1986 and 1990) and UEFA Euro 1988. At club level, he played for Newcastle United, Liverpool and Everton resulting in over 200 Premier League appearances. Over the course of his career, he also had spells with Carlisle United, Manchester United, Vancouver Whitecaps, Bolton Wanderers, Manchester City, Fulham, Hartlepool United and the Melbourne Knights.

Quick Facts

Full name: Peter Andrew Beardsley
Born: 18 January 1961
Birthplace: Hexham, Northumberland, England
Height: 1.73 m / 5 ft 8 in
Position: Forward, Midfielder

Lore & Background

As a youth player, Beardsley played for Wallsend Boys Club in North Tyneside before joining Newcastle United. In 1977, he joined fellow former Wallsend Boys Club player Steve Bruce for a trial with Third Division club Gillingham. Although Gillingham signed Bruce as an apprentice, they turned Beardsley away. He also had unsuccessful trials with Burnley and Cambridge United.

Beardsley eventually began his professional career with Carlisle United in 1978. He managed 22 goals in 104 league games, helping them win promotion to the Second Division at the end of the 1981–82 season. During 1981–83, he played three seasons in the North American Soccer League at Canadian club Vancouver Whitecaps then joined Manchester United, although his period at United was unsuccessful, making only one single appearance in a League Cup tie against AFC Bournemouth, and otherwise failing to break into the first team. Eventually in September 1983, he was signed back to Newcastle United.

Reader's Guide

On 23 September 1983, Beardsley signed for Second Division Newcastle United for a fee of £150,000. He made his debut for the Magpies a day later in the 1–1 draw with Barnsley at Oakwell. He scored his first goal for the Magpies on 19 October 1983 in their 2–0 victory over Cardiff City at Ninian Park. His first goals at St James' Park came in Newcastle's next fixture, against Manchester City; United beat City 5–0 and Beardsley scored his first ever hat-trick.

In his first season in the First Division, Beardsley scored 17 goals in 38 league games as Newcastle finished in 14th position. These included a hat-trick on New Year's Day in a 3–1 home win over local rivals Sunderland. During the following campaign, he played in all of Newcastle's 42 league matches, scoring 19 goals. After returning from the 1986 FIFA World Cup, Beardsley helped a struggling Newcastle to avoid relegation in the 1986–87 season, eventually finishing 17th.

He scored just five goals in 36 appearances that season, before Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish made a national record £1.9 million offer to Newcastle for Beardsley's services. Manager Willie McFaul accepted the offer and Beardsley was on his way to Merseyside after four seasons on Tyneside which had brought a total of 61 goals (all in the league), his transfer completed on 14 July 1987. Beardsley joined Liverpool at the same time as John Barnes.

He helped Liverpool to a record-equalling 29-match unbeaten start to the league as Liverpool convincingly strolled to the League title with just two defeats to their name. However, there was disappointment at the end when Wimbledon denied them the 'double' with a shock 1–0 win in the 1988 FA Cup final. Beardsley scored 15 league goals in his first season for Liverpool. Rush rejoined the club in the 1988 close season and Liverpool returned to Wembley and won the FA Cup the following year, but lost their League championship with virtually the last kick of the last game of the season against Arsenal.

Beardsley scored 11 league goals that season. With the departure of Aldridge a few weeks into the 1989–90 season, Dalglish reverted to a 4–4–2 formation with Beardsley and Rush as his main strikers, with Beardsley scoring 10 goals in 29 games. Liverpool won the championship again that season.

Did You Know?

In one fixture against West Ham United, Beardsley ended the game as a stand-in goalkeeper; the game ended in an 8–1 defeat for Newcastle, with Beardsley conceding the last three goals.
Beardsley's first goal for Liverpool came on 29 August 1987 in the 4–1 victory over Coventry City at Highfield Road, with Beardsley scoring in the 83rd minute.
Beardsley scored three goals in a 4–0 league win over Manchester United on 16 September 1990.