Peter Beardsley
English forward who set a national record transfer fee in 1987 and won two league titles and an FA Cup 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. Between 2001 and 2018, he worked in various coaching roles at Newcastle United, varying from the first team to the youth academy. In 2010, he was briefly appointed as the caretaker manager.
- Role
- Forward / Attacking Midfielder
- Affiliation
- Liverpool FC (1987–1991)
- Key Achievement
- First Division Champion (1987-88, 1989-90)
- Status
- Club Legend
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Beardsley began his professional career with Carlisle United in 1978, helping them win promotion to the Second Division at the end of the 1981–82 season. He played three seasons in the North American Soccer League at Vancouver Whitecaps, then joined Manchester United, making only one appearance in a League Cup tie. In September 1983, he signed for Newcastle United for £150,000. He scored 20 league goals in his first season, forming a strike partnership with Kevin Keegan. After the 1986 FIFA World Cup, Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish made a national record £1.9 million offer for Beardsley, completed on 14 July 1987. He joined Liverpool at the same time as John Barnes, and his first goal for the club came on 29 August 1987 in a 4–1 win over Coventry City. He helped Liverpool win the League title in 1987–88 and the FA Cup in 1989, and another league title in 1989–90. His final league goal for Liverpool came on 17 November 1990.
In Their Own Story
The 1988–89 season brought tragedy and triumph. Following the Hillsborough disaster in April 1989, which claimed 96 lives, Beardsley attended funerals and visited injured fans. Despite the grief, he was part of the team that won the FA Cup with a 3–2 victory over Everton at Wembley. That season also saw him play alongside Ian Rush and John Aldridge in a 4–3–3 formation when all three were fit, scoring 11 league goals. The following year, after Aldridge's departure, manager Kenny Dalglish switched to a 4–4–2 with Beardsley and Rush as main strikers. He scored 10 goals in 29 games as Liverpool won the championship again by a nine-point margin over Aston Villa. His final league goal for the club came on 17 November 1990, scoring the winner against Coventry City.
Reader's Guide
Beardsley's debut for Liverpool was on 15 August 1987 against Arsenal at Highbury, a 2–1 win. He scored 15 league goals in his first season. In the 1988 FA Cup final, Beardsley found the net but the goal was ruled out by the referee who awarded Liverpool a free-kick instead of allowing play to continue. He scored 11 league goals in 1988–89 and 10 in 1989–90. His final competitive goals for Liverpool came in a fifth round FA Cup first replay against Everton on 20 February 1991, which ended in a 4–4 draw.
Did You Know?
- Beardsley ended a game against West Ham United as a stand-in goalkeeper in an 8–1 defeat, conceding the last three goals.
- He scored a hat-trick on New Year's Day in a 3–1 home win over local rivals Sunderland.
- Beardsley scored three goals in a 4–0 league win over Manchester United on 16 September 1990.
- He scored two goals in the Merseyside derby against Everton a week later.
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