Beasley Pat Image 5 Arsenal 1936

Description

Stourbridge, Worcestershire born outside right Albert “Pat” Beasley began his career playing for local side Cookley St Peter’s in Kidderminster in 1929, before joining Stourbridge in 1930. In May 1931, while still only 17 years old, he was signed by First Division Arsenal for £550. Initially in the youth and reserve teams, he made his Football League debut away to Sunderland on 6th April 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 League Championship, and he remained in the side for the 1934-35 season as they retained the League Championship with Beasley scoring 6 times in the campaign. 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 despite scoring 3 times in 4 of the earlier cup ties and playing in their semi final win over Grimsby Town at Leeds Road, Huddersfield.

In October 1936 he was sold to Huddersfield Town for £750 having made 89 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 24 goals. He spent three full seasons with Huddersfield Town, scoring 27 goals in 126 appearances, and reaching a second FA Cup Final in 1938, which they lost to Preston North End. In April 1939 he won his one and only England cap in a match against Scotland at Hampden Park, scoring in a 2-1 victory. His Huddersfield career was then effectively finished by the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, during which he also occasionally guested for his old side Arsenal. He also won two unofficial England caps in wartime internationals.

He continued to play after hostilities ended joining Fulham in December 1945. He won the Second Division Championship with The Cottagers in 1948-49, and missed only 5 games back in the top flight the following season before he became Bristol City’s player-manager in August 1950 after 13 goals in 163 appearances for Fulham.

He played for Bristol City for two more seasons, scoring 5 goals in 73 appearances before hanging up his boots, winning the Third Division (South) Championship with them in 1954-55 to guide them back into the Second Division, and he remained City’s manager until January 1958. He became manager of Birmingham City a month later but was only in the post until May 1960, leaving at the end of the season after having taken Birmingham to the Final of the Inter Cities Fairs Cup, which they lost 4-1 on aggregate to Barcelona. He later scouted for Fulham and managed Dover.