Darren Beckford
Personal information
Full name Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford[1]
Date of birth (1967-05-12) 12 May 1967[2]
Place of birth Moss Side, Manchester, England
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[3]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1980–1984 Manchester City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1984–1987 Manchester City 11 (0)
1985 → Bury (loan) 12 (5)
1987 → Port Vale (loan) 11 (4)
1987–1991 Port Vale 167 (67)
1991–1993 Norwich City 38 (8)
1993–1996 Oldham Athletic 52 (11)
1996–1997 Heart of Midlothian 8 (0)
1997 Preston North End 2 (0)
1997 Fulham 0 (0)
1997 Walsall 8 (0)
1997 Rushden & Diamonds
1997 Southport 0 (0)
1997 Total Network Solutions 4 (1)
1997–1998 Bury 0 (0)
1998 Bacup Borough
Total 313 (96)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford (born 12 May 1967) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward. His younger brother Jason also played professional football.

In fourteen years as a professional footballer he scored a total of 96 goals in 302 league games. Advancing through the Manchester City youth team, he also spent a brief time on loan at Bury before joining Port Vale in 1987. He enjoyed the most successful time of his career at Vale, scoring 68 goals in 167 league games, helping the club to promotion via the play-offs in 1989. After four successive seasons as the club's top scorer he earned a £925,000 move to Norwich City in 1991. Unable to find the form he hit at Vale Park, he was sold on to Oldham Athletic for £300,000 in 1993. Three years later he moved on to Scottish side Hearts. He later played for Preston North End, Fulham, Walsall, Rushden & Diamonds, Southport, Total Network Solutions, Bury and Bacup Borough.

Career

Manchester City

Beckford was a product of the Manchester City youth team and made his first-team debut at the age of 16.[4] As a member of Jehovah's Witnesses, he rejected the opportunity to represent England at youth team level as he refused to stand for the national anthem, seeing it as saluting the flag and therefore unchristian behaviour.[4] The management at Maine Road took a dim view at this stance and did not play him in the first-team for another 12 months.[4] He went out on loan at Third Division club Bury, scoring five goals in twelve games at Gigg Lane.[4]

Port Vale

Beckford joined Port Vale on an initial loan basis, with Manchester City manager Jimmy Frizzell believing that a striking partnership with another youngster in Andy Jones would aid his development.[4] He stayed for three months at the end of the 1986–87 season and then joined the club on a permanent basis for a fee of £15,000 (plus 50% of any future transfer fee – a clause that Vale later bought out for an undisclosed sum).[4][5] This was settled by a Football League tribunal as a compromise between Vale's offer of £5,000 and City's demand of £60,000.[6] Vale fans raised £7,500 of the fee with a 'buy a player' fund.[5] He later admitted that throughout his early career his nerves caused him to vomit before games.[7]

"A terrific goal-scorer. Darren was very athletic, had unbelievable spring in his legs and could finish. As a striker, he ticked all the boxes. If we came up against a top team, we knew he was easily good enough to hold his own. Darren had a unique personality. If someone upset him off the pitch then you knew it could have an effect on his performance. Then again, management would be easy if every player was like Andy Porter. In his case, you just gave him the shirt, told him what to do and then let him get on with it. In Becky's case, he was more likely to stop the training session half way through to ask why we were doing such-and-such drills. The rest of us would be urging him to just get on with it, or we'd never get finished."

— Robbie Earle in 2012.[8]

He scored his first hat-trick for the club on 2 April 1988, during a 5–0 demolition of Doncaster Rovers.[9] Throughout 1987–88 he was the club's top scorer with ten goals, along with David Riley. That season Vale won every game in which Beckford made it onto the score sheet. He was once again top scorer in 1988–89, this time bagging 23 goals as the club won promotion to the Second Division via the play-offs. On 19 September, he scored a hat-trick in a 5–0 home win over Chesterfield. On 25 March, he scored a hat-trick in a 4–1 victory over Notts County.[5] On 25 May, he scored a hat-trick as Vale beat Preston North End 3–1 in the play-off semi-final second leg, giving them a 4–2 aggregate victory. He also provided the crucial second goal of the 1989 final, flicking on a corner for Robbie Earle to knock into the net. He adapted well to tougher opposition in the 1989–90 season. He managed 21 goals to become the club's top scorer yet again. With 23 goals in 1990–91, he became the club's top scorer for the fourth consecutive season. He managed to bag a hat-trick against Blackburn Rovers, and also found the net against former club Manchester City in the FA Cup.

"Darren Beckford was a brilliant striker for the Vale, but a nightmare to manage. It was like throwing a blancmange at the wall, you just hope that a bit of it sticks!"

— Manager John Rudge.[10]

In all he played 214 games and scored 81 times for John Rudge's side. He was sold to Norwich City of the First Division (soon to be rebranded as the Premier League) in June 1991.[11] The fee that Norwich paid for him – £925,000 – was set by a Football League tribunal (Vale had wanted £1.5 million) and was a club record that stood until 1994. £200,000 of the sum went to Manchester City.[5] Vale signed his brother Jason to replace him, though he could not replicate his elder sibling's success.

Norwich City

Norwich manager Dave Stringer had been looking to sign a regular goalscorer for some time, and when Beckford signed he described Beckford as "the answer to the Norwich supporters prayers". However, he injured his thigh in pre-season training in Russia and by Christmas underwent a double hernia operation.[12] His spell at Carrow Road was inconsistent and he only scored 13 times in 49 appearances. Supporters in particular criticised the fact that many of these goals were scored against weaker opposition in the League Cup. The highlight of his time at Norwich was his hat-trick in a 4–3 win against Everton – a victory which would prove key to the Canaries avoiding the drop in 1991–92. That season he also proved to be a versatile player, taking over in goal when Bryan Gunn sustained a back injury during a game against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane. He made a number of fine saves but was finally beaten Ian Bryson in a 1–0 defeat. He did though end the season out with ruptured ankle ligaments sustained in the penultimate match of the campaign.[12]

The 1992–93 season signalled the beginning of the end for Beckford as a Norwich City player. In the close season Mike Walker signed Mark Robins for £800,000 from Manchester United, and started to push Chris Sutton up from central defence to lead the Norwich attack. A lack of form also meant that he had now fallen behind Lee Power and Rob Newman in the pecking order. However, Beckford was still able to make some crucial contributions, including a scoring a vital goal in a 3–2 victory against fellow title chasers Aston Villa at Villa Park.

Oldham and final years

After less than two seasons with Norwich, Beckford was sold to Oldham Athletic in March 1993 for £300,000.[12] Manager Joe Royle had been a long-term admirer of Beckford.[12] He played 52 times and scored 17 goals before being released in the summer of 1996 after sustaining a hamstring injury.[12] He then spent the next two years unsuccessfully searching for a club to give him first-team football. Initially after leaving Oldham he joined Hearts, where he contributed to their run to the 1996 Scottish League Cup final. After goals against St Johnstone[13] and Dundee,[14] he played as a substitute in the final itself. These were however, the only two goals he scored for Hearts. He then signed short-term deals with Fulham, Walsall, Rushden & Diamonds, Southport,[15] Total Network Solutions,[16] Bury, and Bacup Borough before retiring.[2]

Style of play

Beckford was an athletic forward, who had pace, power and a tremendous leap.[17]

Post-retirement

Beckford also began working for The Prince's Trust working with youngsters in Manchester.[18] In September 1998 he won a successful tribunal case against the trust for being racially victimised.[2]

Beckford was featured on the Sky Sports series "Where Are They Now?", and he is now working as an attendance officer at Claremont Primary School in Moss Side, Manchester.[2]

Personal life

His parents, Dudley and Valdene, were from Jamaica.[19] His brother Jason Beckford is a former professional footballer, and his nephew Ethan Beckford has also played professional football.[20] Lauren, his daughter from his first marriage, played for Manchester United Women and Everton.[12] His stepson, Danny Webber, also played professional football.[21]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[22][23][16][24][25]
Club Season League National Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester City 1984–85 Second Division 40001050
1985–86 First Division 30000030
1986–87 First Division 40000040
Total 1100010120
Bury (loan) 1985–86 Third Division 1250000125
Port Vale (loan) 1986–87 Third Division 1140000114
Port Vale 1986–87 Third Division 1140000114
1987–88 Third Division 40961405010
1988–89 Third Division 4220301035523
1989–90 Second Division 421731635121
1990–91 Second Division 432122204723
Total 1787114422621481
Norwich City 1991–92 First Division 30730643911
1992–93 Premier League 812100102
Total 38851644913
Oldham Athletic 1992–93 Premier League 73000073
1993–94 Premier League 22663213010
1994–95 First Division 30200050
1995–96 First Division 2021220234
Total 521195416517
Heart of Midlothian 1996–97 Scottish Premier Division 800042122
Preston North End 1996–97 Second Division 20001030
Fulham 1996–97 Third Division 00000000
Walsall 1996–97 Second Division 80000080
Southport 1997–98 Conference 00001111
Total Network Solutions 1997–98 League of Wales 41000041
Bury 1997–98 First Division 00000000
Career total 3139628103914380120

Honours

Port Vale

References

  1. ↑ Sherwin, Phil (2010). The Port Vale Miscellany. Brimscombe Port: The History Press. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-7524-5777-2.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Flown From the Nest - Darren Beckford". www.ex-canaries.co.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  3. ↑ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1980). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1980–81. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 230. ISBN 0362020175.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Darren Beckford Interview". The Vale Park Beano. 45.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Baggaley, Michael (25 March 2020). "Bargain buy Darren was the darling of Port Vale fans after Notts County treble". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  6. ↑ Kent, Jeff (December 1991). Port Vale Tales: A Collection Of Stories, Anecdotes And Memories. Witan Books. p. 262. ISBN 0-9508981-6-3.
  7. ↑ Sherwin, Phil (9 July 2011). "Underdog has its day as Vale rout Ipswich Town". The Sentinel.
  8. ↑ Earle, Robbie (26 October 2012). "Pope is having a great season, but these Port Vale strikers are top of my hit parade". The Sentinel. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  9. ↑ "Clipping Hero #1: Darren Beckford". onevalefan.co.uk. 16 May 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  10. ↑ Sherwin, Phil (2010). The Port Vale Miscellany. Brimscombe Port: The History Press. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-7524-5777-2.
  11. ↑ Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 22. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Darren Beckford Interview (Part 2)". The Vale Park Beano. 46.
  13. ↑ "O'Boyle goal raises Saints' hopes but it's all in vain Robertson eases the pressure on Hearts". Herald Scotland. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  14. ↑ McKinney, David (24 October 1996). "Hearts claim place in final". London: Independent. Retrieved 5 December 2011.
  15. ↑ "Player Details". SFC FPA. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  16. 1 2 "Darren Beckford". welsh-premier.com. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  17. ↑ Earle, Robbie (17 November 2016). "Robbie Earle: Alex Jones follows some great Port Vale finishers". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  18. ↑ Sherwin, Phil (28 August 2010). "Memory Match: Bristol Rovers 1 Port Vale 1 May 31, 1989". The Sentinel. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  19. ↑ HiProfile.com, Paul Martin-. "Black Coaches Canada Present Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Advocacy in Sports". Black Coaches Canada. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  20. ↑ "Ethan Beckford - Men's Soccer". Penn State University Athletics. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  21. ↑ Williams, Alex; Buckley, Andy (2023), You Saw Me Standing Alone, Bucko Media, ISBN 978-1-3999-5882-0
  22. ↑ Darren Beckford at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  23. ↑ "Player Details". Port Online. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  24. ↑ Darren Beckford at Soccerbase
  25. ↑ "Darren Beckford - Hearts Career - from 14 Aug 1996 to 14 Dec 1996". www.londonhearts.com. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  26. ↑ Kent, Jeff (1989). Port Vale Promotion Chronicle 1988-1989: Back to Where We Once Belonged!. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9508981-3-9.
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