Chris Dunlavy Waxes Lyrical About the Former Newcastle Utd and England Star…
![The Beauty Of Beardsley](https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/1690/261017/5a70338692433/The-Beauty-Of-Beardsley.jpg)
ASK a Newcastle fan to name the greatest player of the last 30 years and you’d probably be surprised by the answer.
Alan Shearer? He’d be up there, of course. You might even get a few votes for David Ginola or Paul Gascoigne. Maybe Yohan Cabaye for the youngsters.
But I’d bet serious money that the name sitting proudly atop the list would be that of Peter Beardsley.
Pedro, as he was known on the terraces of St James’ Park, played football like no Englishman has since.
The nearest comparison - and this is by no means a stretch - is Lionel Messi. The hunched, ungainly shuffle. The skittering runs, all hops and jerks like the turf was studded with hot coals.
The outrageous feints and dummies that left opponents thrashing at thin air. Even the NHS haircut and misshapen mug (Beardsley was once described as looking like somebody had bumped the photocopier when he was being printed) are reminiscent of the Argentine maestro.
One goal, against Portsmouth in 1984, is the archetypal example. Latching onto a long ball from Chris Waddle, Beardsley first nicks it past the keeper.
Then, with the subtlest of shimmies, he sashays along the byline, putting two defenders on their backsides. “Will he walk it in?” cries a young Martin Tyler. “He does!”
“When Peter dropped his shoulder, half the stadium left,” recalled Gazza, an apprentice at Newcastle in those days. “He just had this way of fooling people.
“I remember one game we were playing Manchester City and Peter’s done a sliding tackle and then dinked it from the edge of the 18-yard box over Joe Corrigan, who was on the six-yard line.
“You knew exactly what he was going to do, but you couldn’t stop him. In today’s game he could have named his own price.”
Bu hikaye Late Tackle Football Magazine dergisinin January/February 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Late Tackle Football Magazine dergisinin January/February 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
![EURO 96 AN ALMOST PERFECT SUMMER](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1690/1724210/w22kDBPO91717757262882/EURO-96-AN-ALMOST-PERFECT-SUMMER.jpg)
EURO 96 AN ALMOST PERFECT SUMMER
TOM GREEN RECALLS A TOURNAMENT WHICH CAPTURED THE ENTIRE COUNTRY'S IMAGINATION
![GROUP GAMES](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1690/1724210/GbbY5dOfs1717756813867/GROUP-GAMES.jpg)
GROUP GAMES
SAM SHEPPEY LOOKS AT HOW ENGLAND HAVE FARED AGAINST THEIR UPCOMING EURO 2024 FOES IN THE PAST
![THE INCREDIBLE RISE OF KOBBIE MAINOO](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1690/1724210/ffN6rb_D41717756310519/THE-INCREDIBLE-RISE-OF-KOBBIE-MAINOO.jpg)
THE INCREDIBLE RISE OF KOBBIE MAINOO
CALLUM HUMPHREY HOW THE YOUNG MIDFIELDER HAS BLOSSOMED AT MANCHESTER UNITED AND COULD DO THE SAME FOR ENGLAND THIS SUMMER
![GERMANY EYE FRESH SUMMER FAIRYTALE](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1690/1724210/YhnY-O0Bn1717756075954/GERMANY-EYE-FRESH-SUMMER-FAIRYTALE.jpg)
GERMANY EYE FRESH SUMMER FAIRYTALE
KIT HOLDEN TAKES A LOOK AT THE PROSPECTS OF THE EURO 2024 HOSTS
![PROGRAMME PERIL](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1690/1724210/Z-2sx3IzQ1717755934333/PROGRAMME-PERIL.jpg)
PROGRAMME PERIL
JAKE GUNTON ON THE BATTLE FOR A FOOTBALL INSTITUTION TO STAY RELEVANT IN THE MODERN AGE
![ENGLAND EXPECTS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1690/1724210/-dPQfx7Yj1717755657265/ENGLAND-EXPECTS.jpg)
ENGLAND EXPECTS
ROBERT J WILSON ON THE THREE LIONS' BID FOR GLORY AFTER PREVIOUS EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP DISAPPOINTMENTS
![PASSING THE BATON](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1690/1662066/o2H1il0Z_1712917788092/PASSING-THE-BATON.jpg)
PASSING THE BATON
NOTTS COUNTY FAN IAN KIRKE REFLECTS ON AN UNFORGETTABLE DAY AT MEADOW LANE...
![CHEEKY CHARLIE](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1690/1662066/wWWDso9Z91712920177659/CHEEKY-CHARLIE.jpg)
CHEEKY CHARLIE
TOM GREEN LOOKS AT THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CHARLIE MITTEN, WHO WENT FROM BURMA TO BOGOTA VIA OLD TRAFFORD
![HAPPY WITH OUR LOT](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1690/1662066/gERXJu_r21712920909416/HAPPY-WITH-OUR-LOT.jpg)
HAPPY WITH OUR LOT
WATFORD FAN JONNY BRICK IS QUITE CONTENT WITH HIS TEAM NEVER GOING UP AND NEVER GOING DOWN...
![JAMES RODRIGUEZ TEN YEARS ON](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1690/1662066/dPV5rFBh51712918861472/JAMES-RODRIGUEZ-TEN-YEARS-ON.jpg)
JAMES RODRIGUEZ TEN YEARS ON
DANIEL MOFFAT LOOKS AT THE CAREER OF THE COLOMBIA STAR