Dave Beasant

Wimbledon

Beasant entered the Football League in 1979 at the age of 20 when Wimbledon, newly promoted to the Third Division, signed him from his local non-league club Edgware Town. He made his debut for Wimbledon against Blackpool on 12 January 1980 and played once again that season, in which Wimbledon were relegated. He became a regular first team player the following campaign, when they were promoted, and he stayed loyal to the club even when they were relegated again in 1982. He was a key player in the side that then won the Fourth Division title in 1983, won promotion from the Third Division a year later, and completed a four-season rise to the First Division in 1986 in only their ninth season as a Football League team. After their promotion in 1986, Wimbledon rose to the top of the First Division in early September before finishing sixth at the end of the 1986–87 season. He became the first goalkeeper to save a penalty in an FA Cup final when he blocked John Aldridge's spot-kick for Liverpool in 1988, and in doing so helped Wimbledon secure a 1–0 win. He was also the first goalkeeper to captain his team in an FA Cup final since Major William Merriman in 1875. His ability to kick the ball some considerable distance fitted in well with the "long ball" style of play Wimbledon were known for in the 1980s, nor was he afraid to move out of the area and upfield before kicking the ball, or to take free kicks.

Newcastle United

However, the 1988 FA Cup final was…

Beasant was selected to play two full international matches for England by manager Bobby Robson. The first of Beasant's two England caps came at Wembley Stadium on 15 November 1989 against Italy in a friendly match, where he replaced Peter Shilton as a half-time substitute and kept a clean sheet in a 0–0 draw. The following month on 13 December, also at Wembley, he made his second appearance in a friendly against Yugoslavia, again as a half-time substitute in a 2–1 win for England. He was a member of England's 1990 FIFA World Cup squad, having been called up after David Seaman had to withdraw through injury.

By the time of his retirement, Beasant had been appointed as a goalkeeping coach at Fulham in addition to serving as goalkeeping coach for Northern Ireland under former Wimbledon teammate Lawrie Sanchez. Beasant resigned from the Northern Ireland post in 2007 after Sanchez was appointed Fulham manager only for the pair to both be sacked by the club in December 2007. Beasant was a senior coach at the Glenn Hoddle Academy. He joined in 2008 and worked not only with the academy's goalkeepers, but also outfield players, especially defenders. In August 2012, Beasant was appointed part-time goalkeeper coach at Bristol Rovers. In July 2014, he became goalkeeping coach at Stevenage where he joined his son Sam Beasant. On 25 June 2015, he was appointed as goalkeeping coach at Reading. On 22 December 2018, Beasant was released after the club appointed Jose Gomes to replace Paul Clement as manager.

Wimbledon

Football League Third Division runner-up: 1983–84 Football League Fourth Division: 1982–83 FA Cup: 1987–88 Football League Group Cup runner-up: 1982 Chelsea

Full Members Cup: 1990 Nottingham Forest

Football League First Division: 1997–98